SATURDAY 1ST JUNE 2024

After Diesel Exports, Dangote’s $20 Billion Refinery Ships First Jet Fuel Cargo to Europe

Anticipates curbed naphtha flows in push

Barau:

Zonal

Development Commission Bills

Won't Return Nigeria to Regional Government

FG Justifies Proposed

Wage, Labour Declares

insists offer aligns

private

and the South West Development Commission are at various stages of legislation at the federal parliament. The Niger Delta Development Commission, which is mainly for the oil-rich South-South region and the North East Development Commission are fully operational after the presidential assent. Barau said the process for the review of the 1999 constitution as amended, had started with his committee already receiving memoranda from different segments of the society. He said the passage of additional

Continued on page 5

story on page 5

STAKEHOLDERS STORM OGUN FOR CRUDE OIL

L-R: Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd, Mr. Osagie Okubor; Chief Executive, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Senator

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo

his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari, during a visit to Ogun State on plans by the federal government to start oil exploration in the state...yesterday

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Jibrin Barau, has

Nigerians

Heineken Lokpobiri;

Abiodun;

Trump Says He Will Appeal Historic Conviction

Ferdinand Ekechukwu with agency report

Donald Trump yesterday, said he would appeal the guilty verdict that made him the first United States president convicted of a crime, though he will have to wait until after his sentencing on July 11 before taking that step.

In rambling remarks at the Trump Tower lobby in Manhattan where he announced his first presidential run in 2015, Trump repeated his complaints that the trial was a "rigged" attempt to hobble his White House comeback bid and warned that it showed no American was safe from politically motivated prosecution.

"If they can do this to me, they can do this to anyone," Reuters quoted Trump, 77, to have said in an unscripted 33-minute speech. Applauded by supporters, Trump, the Republican candidate in the 2024 election took no questions from reporters.

"We're going to be appealing this scam," he said.

Trump would have 30 days from the date of his July 11 sentencing to

FG

file a notice of appeal.

Democratic President Joe Biden, who would face Trump in the November 5 election, said Trump had been given an opportunity to defend himself in the same justice system that applies to all Americans.

"It's reckless, it's dangerous, it's irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don't like the verdict," Biden, 81, said at the White House.

Thursday's guilty verdict catapulted the United States into unexplored territory.

The charge Trump was convicted of, falsifying business records, carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison. Others convicted of that crime often receive shorter sentences, fines or probation.

But Trump's public criticism of jurors and witnesses during the trial, which prompted Justice Juan Merchan to impose a $10,000 fine, could push the judge to impose a tougher penalty, said Rebecca Roiphe, a former New York prosecutor.

Any sentence would likely be suspended until the appeals process plays out. A close ally, House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson,

predicted the U.S. Supreme Court would eventually overturn the verdict.

"I think they’ll set this straight, but it's going to take a while," he said on Fox News.

Incarceration would not prevent Trump from campaigning, or taking office if he were to win.

Trump's July 11 sentencing comes just days before the Republican Party

is due to formally nominate him as its presidential candidate at its convention in Milwaukee.

Trump was found guilty of 34 criminal counts of falsifying

documents to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to illegally influence the 2016 election, in which he defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton.

PAYING FINAL RESPECTS…

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume (right), and the Delta Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori at the memorial mass in honour of the late Asagba of Asaba, HRM, Prof. Chike Edozien in Asaba…yesterday

JUSTIFIES PROPOSED N60,000 NEW MINIMUM WAGE, LABOUR DECLARES NATIONWIDE STRIKE MONDAY

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and Dike Onwuamaeze in Lagos

The federal government yesterday, defended its position on the proposed N60,000 minimum wage it had offered the organised labour through the Minimum Wage Committee led by Bukar Goni Aji.

But despite the position of the committee set up by the government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday, resolved to commence a nationwide industrial action by midnight of Sunday to protest what they termed the non-resolution of the disagreement on a new national minimum wage.

This comes as the organised private sector of Nigeria (OPSN) yesterday expressed serious concern over the inability of the committee to achieve a consensus on a new national minimum wage.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on the stalemated negotiation on the new minimum, the leadership of NLC and TUC described the attitude of government to the talks as unserious.

TUC President, Festus Osifo, who read the resolution of the labour movement said there was poor representation of the federal government team at the resumed meeting despite the sensitiveness of the issues at stake.

He said the lean government

side lead by the Minister of State Nkeiruka Onyejeocha only came to insist on N60,000 proposed previously as new minimum wage that had been rejected by labour.

Osifo said based on the mandate given to the leadership of the organised labour by their organs, there was nothing else to do other than to declare an indefinite strike to bring government to order.

"If you could remember we had a National Executive Council meeting of the NLC as well as the TUC where we were further charged that the leadership should take charge and take all actions to call government to order at the expiration of the ultimatum.

"Today is May 31, 2024 and this night the ultimatum expires. So we hereby declare the commencement of a nationwide Industrial action effective from Monday June 3rd, 2024 and this strike shall be indefinite. The strike shall be on untill we have a new national minimum wage and until government is serious and the increase in electricity tariff is reversed.

"In the light of this persistent inaction, we, the NLC and the TUC, hereby issue a notice of commencement of an indefinite nationwide strike to the federal government. We reiterate that since the National Minimum Wage negotiation exercise has not been concluded and the agreed wage passed into law; the

hike in electricity tariff not reversed and categorization of consumers into Bands not stopped as demanded.

“Nigerian workers are compelled by these failures to embark on an indefinite nationwide industrial action beginning on Monday, the 3rd of June, 2024 to press home our demands. We are united on this and we believe this is the way forward. He said that organised labour believed that this the time to stand in solidarity with the working class because they have been battered and have been downtrodden the way they have been treated from May 29 till date,” he said.

The Labour movement expressed regret that there had been no significant progress or commitment from the government towards meeting its demand.

However, while justifying its position, the minimum wage committee explained what transpired during the meeting yesterday, saying the government team tried to convince labour movement on efforts being made by the federal government to ameliorate the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

It explained that at the last meeting of Tuesday, 28th May, 2024, all employers made up of government side and organised private sector made offers of N60,000.00 per month which was a 100 percent increase on the existing National Minimum

Wage of 2019.

The committee said the organised labour made an offer of N494,000 per month at Tuesday's meeting which was an increase of 1,547 percent on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019.

It further explained that during the course of the meeting organised labour left to continue further consultations on whether to shift grounds or not.

On the complaint that the federal government presented a deflated team during yesterday’s negotiation, the Committee said it's decisions were arrived at the meeting with full attendance including the personal attendance of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Minister of Budget and National Planning as well as Minister of State for Labour and Employment.

The committee said the meeting was later adjourned to Monday, 3rd June 2024.

"Both sides stated that their offers of N60,000.00 per month, which is 100% increase on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019, were based on prevailing economic considerations and government's non-monetary incentives.

"Thereafter organised labour walked out of the meeting. During the continuation of the meeting the government further defended their offer of N60,000.00 per month, saying it was based on economic

AFTER DIESEL EXPORTS, DANGOTE’S $20 BILLION REFINERY SHIPS FIRST JET FUEL CARGO TO EUROPE

BP cargo, loading 45,000 mt of supply from Lekki on May 27, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data.

Cepsa also secured part of the tender, with the Spanish refiner expected to deliver supply to the continent imminently, traders said. Neither of the companies were available for comments on purchases of jet fuel from the refinery, while a representative from Dangote previously confirmed to S&P Global Commodity Insights that the refinery has complied with European jet A1 standards since the product first started being shipped within Africa in April.

The inaugural European shipment demonstrated the growing reach of products from the 650,000 bpd Dangote refinery as it has rapidly ramped up operations and aims to shake up established West African trade flows.

Dangote has exported six jet fuel/ kerosene cargoes starting April 8, with all material delivered to Senegal, Togo or Ghana, according to CAS data. BP is also expected to continue supplying jet fuel to the West African market with product from the refinery, sources said. European traders cautioned that

fresh jet fuel flows could exacerbate existing weakness as Nigerian supply makes its way into a highly saturated market. According to Platts assessments from Commodity Insights, CIF Northwest European jet fuel cargoes fetched a premium of $52/mt to the front-month ICE LSGO contract May 29, down $3.25/mt on the day and $11.25/mt on the week.

With ample supply weighing on the European market, the arbitrage window from the Persian Gulf was firmly shut, it said.

The spread between the CIF NWE (average for the high price and the low price for naphtha) June and July contracts moved into a contango (where spot or cash price is lower than forward price) of minus $1.50/ mt May 29.

The contango structure, reflecting prompt market weakness, was last assessed lower April 25, when Platts assessed the second-month contract at a $1.75/mt premium to the front-month equivalent, Commodity Insights data showed.

The refiner's export portfolio could soon be reshaped as it has pursued ambitious timelines for further unit ramp-ups.

To date, Dangote has exported naphtha, fuel oil and gasoil to markets in Europe, Africa and Asia, though naphtha exports could soon be curtailed to prepare for gasoline (petrol) production, a representative for Dangote told Commodity Insights May 20.

Dangote has been seen pushing around four cargoes of naphtha each month to Europe since April, even though volumes could soon be curbed to boost domestic supplies for gasoline blending, once the plant's fluid catalytic cracker is operational.

Dangote is now projecting its first gasoline supplies to begin in June, a spokesperson said May 20, revised from a previous May deadline. Meanwhile, the refiner has aimed to produce ultra low sulphur diesel eligible for export to Europe by the third quarter, a representative for Dangote said in April.

Commodity Insights analysts have maintained forecasts for gasoline supply from the refinery to begin no earlier than Q3, with the plant expected to reach steady-state utilisation around 2027.

In its steady-state, Dangote is expected to yield 9 per cent jet fuel,

equating to around 45,000 bpd at 80 per cent utilisation, though early supplies from the refinery could make Nigeria a net jet fuel exporter for the first time by as early as Q4, 2024.

The integrated refinery and petrochemical complex in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, Nigeria, is the world’s biggest single-train facility and produces Euro-V quality petrol and diesel, as well as jet fuel and polypropylene.

At full capacity, the new refinery will double Nigeria’s refining capacity and help in meeting the increasing demand for fuels, while providing cost and dollar savings.

The refinery site covers an area of 2,635ha on the Lekki Free Zone near the Lekki Lagoon, with the location allowing for the transhipment of refined petroleum products to international markets.

The Dangote refinery will have an annual refining capacity of 10.4 million tonnes of gasoline, in addition to 4.6mt of diesel and 4mt of jet fuel.

It will also produce 0.69Mt of polypropylene, 0.24Mt of propane, 32,000t of sulphur and 0.5mt of carbon black feed.

considerations and non-monetary incentives.”

It listed other measures introduced by the government to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal on the masses.

Meanwhile, the OPSN has expressed concern over the inability of the committee to achieve a consensus on a new national minimum wage.

The OPSN is made up of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), National Association of Small Scale Industries (NASME) and National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI). Speaking in Lagos, the Director General of NECA, Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, stated that “the OPSN had approached the minimum wage negotiation hoping that current economic realities as it concerns the need to protect jobs and ensure sustained growth would play a paramount role. However, this was not the case.”

BARAU: ZONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION BILLS WON'T RETURN NIGERIA TO REGIONAL GOV ERNMENT

zonal development commission bills in the National Assembly was to enable the government at the federal and sub-national levels to tackle specific problems affecting the various communities.

He said, "We are not asking for regionalism; far from it. When you have a desperate situation, you bring solutions that will assuage the feelings of the people involved and fix the problems.

"If you can have a commission for every community, do it as long as it brings prosperity."

The Deputy President of the Senate said fresh amendments to the nation's constitution would meet the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians.

He said, "We will tailor our constitution to meet the wishes and aspirations of the masses. As we speak, we are beginning to prepare the grounds.

"We have already started collating memoranda, and we have started receiving presentations from wellmeaning Nigerians.

"This is before we visit the geopolitical zones of this country, where people can come in person or through written presentations to dictate what they feel should be amended in the constitution of this country.

"We are going to listen to them. We are going to aggregate the presentations, assess them, work on them, and put forward those that we feel are in tandem with the aspirations of most of the people. We are up to the task.

"So, they should expect us to have an outcome that will address the aspirations and wishes of the people of this country in terms of the kind of constitution they want."

Asked whether the bill advocating the country’s return to the parliamentary system of government, sponsored by 60 members of the House of Representatives, would be

considered, Barau said all proposals would be tabled before Nigerians. He added: “That bill on parliamentary system is their sponsors' views. We have received several presentations concerning what people think should be in our constitution.

"We are going to take that as part of all these solutions. Don’t forget that we have over 200 million Nigerians and will receive several presentations from them - civil society, religious bodies, traditional rulers, professional bodies, etc.

"So, we will get the presentations, work on them, and process them to bring about the needed changes and amendments in the constitution.

"All that we are going to do shall be in terms of the preponderance of the opinions of most of the people of this country. "

Barau said the establishment of the North West Development Commission was necessary to restore hope and peace in the area.

He explained, "In my presentation during the second reading of the bill, I drew the attention of my colleagues to a region that has been bastardised and destroyed by the activities of Boko Haram and bandits.

"The state so affected after Borno - which Boko Haram devastated is Kano - they destroyed so much of our infrastructure and killed several people— and moved to Kaduna, where you have the worst of it all: bandits.

"There is nowhere in this country that the bandits are creating havoc like in the North West geopolitical zone.

"The North West used to be the food basket of the nation. But the bandits have destroyed a whole lot of our farmlands. Think about cotton in Funtua and other parts of Katsina State.

"In Zamfara State, cotton, beans, among others, in Sokoto, Kebbi, you marvel when you see what they could do.

ENARUSAI BRIPIN

SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ON THEIR MINDS…

FG Launches NASENI-Portland

CNG Conversion Centre in Abuja NEWS

The federal government yesterday inaugurated a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) reverse-engineering, training, filling and conversation

centre established by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in conjunction with Portland Gas Limited in Abuja.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, the Chief Executive

Tinubu, Oborevwori, Obaseki, Elumelu, Others Pay Tributes to Late Asagba of Asaba

President Bola Tinubu; Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and his Edo counterpart, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, were among guests who graced the memorial mass in honour of the late 13th Asagba of Asaba, HRM, Prof. Joseph Chike Edozien, in Asaba, Delta State, yesterday.

Other guests present included Deputy Governor of the State, Monday Onyeme; former Governors, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; Chief James Ibori; former Deputy Governor, Chief Benjamin Elue; Senator Ned Nwoko; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; Chairman of UBA Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Member House of Representatives, Hon. Ngozi Okolie; Senator James Manager; former Minority Leader of the House of

Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu; NDDC Chairman, Mr. Chiedu Ebie; Air Vice Marshal Frank Ajobena, traditional rulers among others.

Speaking at the memorial service held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church Asaba, Tinubu who was represented by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, in his condolence message to the people of Asaba kingdom and Delta State, said Nigeria had lost a man of great significance and one of the foremost traditional rulers in the country.

In his tribute titled 'Exit of a man of significance', Tinubu described the late Asagba of Asaba as an accomplished traditional ruler and elder statesman who served the Asaba Kingdom with great purpose and distinguished himself in the field of medicine.

Tengen Purchases N1.01bn Worth of Access Holdings’ Shares

Kayode Tokede

Mauritian-incorporated company, Tengen Holdings (Mauritius) Limited since May 28, 2024, has acquired approximately 59.403 million shares of Access Holdings, valued at roughly N1.01 billion.

According to corporate disclosures on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Tengen Holdings initially purchased 45 million units of shares at N17 per share on May 28. The company then purchased an additional 14,402,633 units at N17.20 per share on May 30.

Aig-Imoukhuede, the Non-Executive Chairman of Access Holdings Plc and late Herbert Wigwe jointly founded Tengen Holdings in December 2013, after Aig-Imoukhuede’s exit as the CEO of Access Bank.

Before his demise, former Access Holdings’ Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe was the largest

individual shareholder of the group with a 3.72 per cent shareholding in the group.

The second largest substantial shareholder in the group, following Stanbic Nominees, was Coronation Trustees Tengen Mauritius. This entity, associated with Tengen Holdings (Mauritius) Limited, holds a 7.11 per cent stake acquired in 2023. Tengen (Holdings) Limited is a part of the Tengen Family Office.

According to a directory of Nigerian companies, Tengen Family Office was incorporated in Nigeria in 2017, with Herbert Wigwe and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede identified as the shareholders in the company.

Since the demise of Herbert Wigwe, Access Holdings has undergone leadership changes, with Ms. Bolaji Agbede stepping in as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede stepping in as the group’s Chairman.

Officer of Portland Gas Limited, Mr. Folajimi Mohammed, said the NASENI-Portland partnership marked a significant step forward in Nigeria's mission to champion natural gas initiatives.

The partnership, he said, was a testament to how the government and the private sector can leverage expertise, innovation, and creativity, explaining that CNG offers a sustainable and economically viable alternative to traditional petroleum products.

“With Nigeria's vast natural gas reserves, estimated at over 200 trillion cubic feet, we are in a steadfast

position to lead this transformation.

The NASENI-Portland partnership aims to harness these resources efficiently, advancing technological innovation and infrastructure development in the natural gas sector.

“Immediate adoption of CNG can bring transformative changes. Let's take a cue from Iran, where over 3.5 million vehicles run on CNG, making it a global leader in CNG adoption.

“There is no reason why Nigeria cannot replicate and even surpass this success. With the right policies, infrastructure, and public awareness, we can transition towards a more

sustainable and economically sound energy future,” he said.

While commending President Bola Tinubu for his vision to diversify the nation’s energy sources, which aims to bring down the cost of transportation in the country, Mohammed described the recent inauguration of three new upstream gas facilities by the President as a game changer.

Besides, he highlighted the President's commitment to promoting inclusivity, economic growth, and fostering a peaceful environment for businesses to thrive.

He added that the centres would also train technicians, engineers

among others so as to get advanced knowledge on CNG technologies. He said: “As part of our expansion plans, we are focused on increasing the number of CNG refuelling stations across the country to ensure easy access for all users and establishing training centres to build capacity and facilitate the transfer of knowledge.

“These centres will train technicians, engineers, and other stakeholders in the latest CNG technologies and best practices, ensuring that we have the skilled workforce needed to support and sustain our CNG initiatives.”

National Council Unveils Measures to Bolster Nigeria's Skills Development

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The National Council on Skills (NCS) yesterday established a committee on coordination of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as states' programmes on skills to tackle critical issues in the nation’s skills development sector.

Headed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, the committee's terms of reference include identifying skill trainings

in MDAs and states, identifying dominant skills in the private sector, and devising strategies for standardisation, recognition, and certification.

The Council also proposed a draft bill for the Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) aimed at developing the skills of the nation's workforce and improving the quality of skilled workers.

A separate committee chaired by the Minister of Women Affairs,

MrscUju Kennedy-Ohaneye, has been tasked with reviewing the draft bill.

Addressing the 4th National Council on Skills meeting at the State House, Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima reiterated the importance of seizing opportunities, particularly in the digital space.

According to him, "India is expected to earn $100 billion from outsourcing alone this year. We have a lot of unemployed graduates who can work comfortably from their

homes and earn a minimum of $40,000 per annum. If we have one million Nigerian youths working in the digital space, we will earn more than what we generate from the sale of crude oil, and it will have a multiplier effect on our economy."

He urged the committees to work diligently as a team to address the challenges in the skills development sector, emphasising the need to focus on high-earning skills in the rapidly changing global landscape.

Matawalle: With Caverton Facilities, We Can Collaborate to Build Nigeria

Bennett Oghifo

The Minister of State for Defence, Mohammed Bello Matawalle, has expressed optimism that with Caverton Helicopters’ facilities and achievements, Nigerians no longer need to travel abroad for aviation-related procurement, maintenance and training.

The minister stated this during his facility tour of the company's

Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) section, Training Centre and AW-139, as well as AW-109 Flight Simulators at its Ikeja training centre located at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, yesterday.

According to the minister, who is immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Caverton has the capacity to serve as the hub for aviation maintenance and training in Nigeria.

Speaking about his experience after the tour of the facilities, the elated Matawalle said, "I am simply happy and excited with what l have seen today for an indigenous company to have invested so much on these facilities. I am speechless. With the facilities on ground, Caverton no doubt, has become a hub for the Nigerian Aviation sector and other sectors.

"With what they have done, we will be able to handle our things on our own. We don’t have to be going abroad to maintain our facilities. The commitment, dedication to duties I saw in these young men is profound. I am excited and impressed. No doubt the forward-looking company has supported the local content with the popular cliché "Caverton is built in Nigeria, made in Nigeria for Nigerians."

NDDC Boss Commends President on Abuja Light Rail Project

James Emejo in Abuja

Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, has commended the vision behind the Abuja Light Rail Project by the federal government. Speaking to THISDAY shortly

after the inauguration of the Abuja Metro Station by President Bola Tinubu, Ogbuku described tbe project as a thing of joy to Nigerians. He said the flag-off of commercial operations of the light rail service was a testament to the President's commitment to ensuring that the county remained on the track of steady progress towards economic recovery and prosperity.

The NDDC chief executive further congratulated Tinubu, and Minister Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for achieving such a quality milestone, stressing that the project would further enhance socio-economic growth in the metropolitan region.

The NDDC Boss said the Renewed Hope mantra of the current administration was on course and emphasised the need for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to key into the agenda and promote its ideals.

Emmanuel Addeh and Sunday Aborishade in Abuja

L–R: Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; Vice President Kashim Shettima; Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice President, Sen Ibrahim Hadeja, and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, during a meeting of the National Council on Skills at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… yesterday

GODWIN OMOIGUI

AFRICAN DIASPORA INVESTMENT SUMMIT.…

Fubara: Why We Cancelled Wike's 10, 000 Jobs Offer

Says his bond with Rivers people can't be broken

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, said the reason for the cancellation of the 10, 000 jobs recruitment for the state civil service by the immediate past administration is because the process was flawed and compromised by those entrusted to handle it. It would be recalled that a few months to former Governor Nyesom WIke's exit in office, he approved the recruitment of the 10,000 workers in the state civil service. Speaking during an interactive

session with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Governor Fubara assured that after the right thing is done, the recruitment process will continue, saying that the process will be transparent.

He expressed sadness that when the names of those selected

from the 23 local government areas were scrutinised, they were people smuggled in for political patronage. Responding to a question from the stakeholders, the Governor stated, “I know that is the first question, the 10,000 jobs. When we came onboard, we already had details that were

Huggies Manufacturer Announces Exit from Nigeria

Dike Onwuamaeze and Gilbert Ekugbe

Kimberly-Clark has announced its decision to shut down its manufacturing plant and exit the Nigerian market.

A statement issued yesterday by KCSSA West Africa Limited, stated that: “Kimberly-Clark today announces that it has made the difficult decision to exit its business in Nigeria after almost 15 years, due to recently refocused company strategic priorities globally as well as economic developments in

the country.

“Kimberly-Clark will close its manufacturing facility and commercial office in Lagos and will no longer manufacture, market or sell its Huggies and Kotex products in the country.

“Consistent with Kimberly-Clark’s value of care, the company’s top priority will be to fulfill its obligations and ensure that employees and partners are treated with fairness and respect.”

Until its announced exit, the Kimberly-Clark is a manufacturer of diaper and sanitary pad products.

Kimberlt-Clark would be leaving Nigeria despite making $100 million investments two years ago.

The Nigerian economic development worsened in the past 12 months following the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the Naira in the foreign exchange market as well as the tight monetary policy of the country’s central bank that has raised interest rates on banks’ credit to business.

These developments left entrepreneurs to contend with high cost of imported raw materials, energy costs,

discouragingly exorbitant electricity tariffs and others.

With the announcement, KimberlyClark would be following the footsteps of KSG, a multinational pharmaceutical manufacturing company and the Procter & Gamble amongst others that have exited from Nigeria.

Last week, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in its Manufacturers CEO Confidence Index, called on the federal government to address the challenges facing their operations.

Tinubu Charges Universities to Focus on Entrepreneurship, Unizik Graduates 7,733 Students

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

President Bola Tinubu has challenged Nigerian universities to lay more emphasis on training in entrepreneurship to ensure that graduates become job creators instead of seekers.

submitted to us from the 23 local government areas.

“You will agree with me that when we subjected those names to proper scrutiny, most of those names, in fact 60 per cent of those names were over-aged. They were names that people brought for political patronage. But what we are talking about today is employment for the future. I personally after the analysis of those things, I said how will you employ somebody who is 52-years-old as a civil servant?

Meanwhile, the governor has stated that the social bond between his

administration and Rivers people will remain unbroken, to drive governance for the wellbeing of the people and development of the state. Fubara made the assertion yesterday, when he received a delegation of leaders and members of RIWAMA Service Providers Association, on a solidarity walk to Government House Gate in Port Harcourt. Addressing the service providers, the governor urged them to redouble their efforts and make sure that refuse wastes are cleared off the streets promptly in order to have a cleaner city.

Fashola to Deliver LASU's Convocation Lecture, Varsity Produces 153 First Class Uchechukwu Nnaike

Former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, will on Tuesday, June 4, deliver the convocation lecture of the Lagos State University (LASU), titled 'Embracing the Future: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Humanity'.

Commission (NUC), who was a distinguished Professor of Science and Computer Education until retirement from the university.

"Professor Okebukola was conferred with the exclusive rank of Emeritus Professor, the first in the history of our institution, by the senate of the university in 2023," she said.

The President who was represented by the Director of Tertiary Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Rakiya Iliyasu, said: "I challenge our universities to continue to emphasise training in entrepreneurship so that these graduates are able to become job creators, instead of perennial job seekers.

Tinubu stated this during the 18th convocation ceremony of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, while delivering his address as the visitor of the institution.

"I have no doubt that Nigerian universities are very much able to find lasting solutions to problems faced by the country."

According to the President, to actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda, the government needs cooperation from the universities and others.

He also appealed for greater transparency in the management of the affairs of universities and

more commitment to research and publications for which "government is providing financial and other resources through the Tertiary Education Trust fund (TETfund) and Needs assessment intervention funds."

Earlier in his address, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Charles Esimone, revealed that a total of 7,733 students graduated during the ceremony.

Drug War: NDLEA Officer Wins Award, Marwa Promotes Personnel

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) has approved special promotion for an officer of the agency,

Francis Ameh Igonoh, a Superintendent of Narcotics, after he emerged the 2024 winner of the prestigious International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) Outstanding Operational Success Award.

Announcing the accelerated promotion reward for the officer during a brief ceremony where Igonoh presented the award certificates to the NDLEA boss, Marwa commended him

IPA Applauds Agama’s Appointment as DG SEC

Funmi Ogundare

The Ijaw Professional Association (IPA), yesterday, applauded the appointment of Dr. Emomotimi Agama as the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria (SEC) as a positive step towards achieving sustainable economic and financial growth in Nigeria. It further stated that Agama’s wealth of experience, his outstanding contributions to the financial sector, as well as his unwavering commitment to the advancement of the Nigerian economy would be brought to bear on his new assignment.

The group gave these commendations in its congratulatory message signed by the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), Major General Paul Alaowei Toun (rtd), noting that his relentless pursuit of excellence and integrity had earned him respect and admiration across various professional circles.

for doing the Agency and indeed Nigeria proud.

A statement from the Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, quoted Marwa to have said: “You have distinguished yourself in our concerted effort to curb the scourge of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria and as such the global recognition of our role in dismantling fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine cartels clearly typifies enhanced intelligence and we can’t but equally appreciate the support of the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States in this regard.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, who announced this during the press conference to herald the 27th convocation ceremony, said the topic was appropriate, given the importance of technology, and the university's desire to remain the most digitally advanced state university.

She said the convocation lecture will be chaired by Emeritus Professor Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

In line with the determination to meet up with current technological advancement of the world, the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) has commenced the construction of a N250 million world-class Research Laboratory for the Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State.

The vice-chancellor stated that the pre-convocation activities commenced on May 30 with the press conference, as well as the convocation staff sports competition, held at the LASU Sports Centre.

She said a Juma'at Service was held yesterday, May 31, at the University Central Mosque; while a special thanksgiving service will hold on Sunday, June 2 at the University Chapel of Light.

He noted that the world-class research laboratory is one of its many interventions under its Tertiary Education Grants Scheme (TEGS), drawn from ASR Africa's US$100 million Fund for Social Development and Renewal. The managing director thanked the management and students of the university for the warm reception accorded him and his team, reiterating the commitment of the Chairman to supporting quality education within tertiary institutions in Nigeria He reiterated the commitment of the Chairman to supporting quality education within tertiary institutions in Nigeria, encouraging the management and students to ensure proper use and maintenance of the facility as a show of appreciation for the grant. ASR Africa Commences Construction of N250m Research Lab at FUL, Kogi

The MD/CEO of ASR Africa, Dr. Ubon Udoh, disclosed this while speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of Abdul Samad Rabiu Central Research Laboratory for Federal University, Lokoja, yesterday. Udoh explained that this is in continuation of ASR Africa’s various strategic commitments to the nation’s tertiary education interventions.

R-L: CEO, Neasden College, London, Nikky Emelike; Founder, Nigerian and African Diaspora Direct Investment Summit, Bimbo Roberts Folayan; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, Temitola Adekunle Johnson, and Advisory Board Member, Nigerian and African Diaspora Direct Investment Summit, Abimbola Okoya, at the Invest Nigeria-Invest Africa Business to Business and networking hosted by the Nigerian and African Diaspora Investment Summit, in London....recently

FACILITY TOUR…

L-R: Managing Director/Accountable Manager, Caverton Helicopters, Captain Ibrahim Bello; Chief Executive Officer, Caverton Offshore Support Group, (COSG), Mr. Olabode Makanjuola; Minister of State for Defense, Dr. Bello Matawalle; Chief Operating Officer, COSG, Mr. Rotimi Makanjuola; and Director Strategy, COSG, Mr. Niyi Makanjuola, during the Minister's tour of Caverton’s Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) located at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja… yesterday

Abia Puts N25m Bounty on Killers of Soldiers as DHQ Vows Revenge

Atiku calls for political solution to Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention Peter Obi: Killing of soldiers sign of state failure Ohanaeze seeks Tinubu's intervention to quell rising tensions in South-east

Chuks Okocha, Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja and Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

Abia State Government has put a N25 million reward for information that could help unmask identities of gunmen that killed five troops in Aba on Thursday.

This was as fear and apprehension have gripped residents of Abia as the Army authorities have vowed to avenge the killing of their personnel in Aba. Also, yesterday, former Vice President Atiku Abubukar and presidential candidate of the Labour Party, in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, condemned the killing of some soldiers in Abia State during the May 30 anniversary of the defunct Republic of Biafra by some militants.

solution to the continued detention of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, while Obi called for a thorough investigation into the incident.

Atiku also called for a political

Equally, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, called on President Bola Tinubu to quickly intervene and quell the rising tensions in the region, saying South-east governors seemed overwhelmed by the security challenges.

The military high command confirmed the dastardly incident in a press release signed by the Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, saying that five soldiers died in the incident.

The government of Abia announced the bounty on the killers in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu.

FG Inaugurates Inter-Ministerial Committee for Review of Intellectual Property Policy, Strategy Document

Agnes Ekebuike

The Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee to review the Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy Draft for Nigeria has been inaugurated by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Minister, Dr. Doris Uzoka -Anite.

At the inauguration ceremony which took place at the minister's office in Abuja, Dr. Uzoka -Anite said that the committee's task is to review the draft policy and strategy, ensuring it aligns with global best practices and addresses Nigeria's unique needs.

Uzoka -Anite, who serves as the Chairman of the inter-ministerial committee, announced the Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa as Co-Chairman of the committee and other members selected from the ministries of Health and Social Welfare, Justice, Aviation, Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Agriculture and Rural Development, Education, Science and Technology, Information and National Orientation, Trade, Industry and Investment and Art, Culture and Creative Economy.

The Minister of Trade, Industry

and Investment who emphasised the importance of intellectual property rights in driving innovation, economic growth, and societal progress, charged the members to be diligent in order to shape the future of intellectual property rights in Nigeria and

empower innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs to thrive globally.

“The development of a robust and forward-looking IP policy and strategy is a key priority for our government. In today's knowledgedriven global economy, intellectual

property rights are crucial drivers of innovation, economic growth, and societal progress. An effective IP framework empowers our entrepreneurs, inventors, artists, and businesses to reap the full rewards of their creativity and ingenuity.

APGA Nat'l Chairman: Soludo Setting Structures to Hold LG Polls

Party launches app for digital registration

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

The National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Mr. Sly Ezeokenwa, has said the APGA-led government in Anambra State was set to conduct local government elections in the state. Ezeokenwa stated this in Awka, Anambra State capital, during a press conference in the South-east regional office of the party to mark his first year in office as the national chairman. Recently, a High Court in Abuja had ordered the federal government to stop remitting local government funds to the Prof. Chukwuma

Soludo-led government, but the national chairman said it was untrue to say the governor has no intention to conduct the election. He said he is rather strengthening the structures with laws to ensure a smooth and transparent election.

He said: "The local government structure is an important tier of government and that is not in doubt. APGA government in Anambra State is deeply committed to conducting local government elections and there is no doubt about that.

"It is important to know that APGA has been vocal about the place of local government in the country, and

being the government that is closest to the people, the local government structure should actually reflect the dictates, wishes and culture of the people.

"In Anambra we have gone a step further to enhance the workability of the local government system. The governor is evolving a new model which is the private, public, community partnership model. We now have communities as the fourth tier of government, and it is a very essential component of the local government system. The communities have elected Presidents General, which is democracy on its own."

Keyamo Temporarily Suspends Enforcement of Helicopter Landing Levies

Kasim Sumaina

in Abuja

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has temporarily suspended the enforcement granted Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd, by the federal government, as consultants to collect helicopter landing levies collection at aerodromes, helipads and air strips.

The move came following a meeting with the Executives of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) on the issue bordering on collections of such levies.

The suspension, Keyamo said, was with effect from 30th May,2024 and as a result of clamour for review by some stakeholders in the industry.

Keyamo in a statement yesterday in Abuja by the ministry's Head of

Press, Odutayo Oluseyi, has constituted committee with members drawn up from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and its relevant Agencies, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd who are charged to look into the issues raised by concerned stakeholders and submit a Report on or before

end of June,2024.

Messers NAEBI Dynamic Concept Ltd was granted the exclusive right by the federal government as consultants to collect such levies which stakeholders have expressed their reservation on the appropriateness of the levies.

"The recommendation(s) of the Committee would proffer a way forward," the statement concluded.

He said the ugly incident that occurred at about 7.45am at Obikabia Junction in the Ogbor Hill area of Aba was carried out, "by suspected criminal elements, who opened fire on men of the Nigerian Army on security duty".

The Abia Government spokesman explained that the bounty placed on the heads of the killers of troops was to underscore government's unwavering commitment to stamp out every vestige of insecurity in Abia. He said the N25 million reward would go to "anyone with useful information that could lead to the location and arrest of any of the criminals connected to the unfortunate killings, and the subsequent state of

apprehension across the city of Aba and environs".

"The Abia State Government wishes to commiserate with the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Taoreed A. Lagbaja, and the Military High Command in the country for the unfortunate incident and pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of the gallant soldiers who died in active duty," the Commissioner said. Kanu said government considered the killing of the soldiers as "a serious affront to its resolve by criminal elements who are hell-bent on returning Abia to the dark days of insecurity and fear amongst citizens, especially in Aba, the economic heartbeat of the State".

Ogun to Join Oil Producing States as Exploration Commences

The quest of Ogun State to be an oil producing State would soon materialise as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is set to begin oil and gas exploration in the Gateway State.

Stakeholders in the oil industry, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri; Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd, Mr. Osagie Okubor; Chief Executive, Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe and the Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari, were in Ogun State yesterday, on plans by the federal government to start oil exploration in the state.

They were received by Governor Dapo Abiodun and his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.

According to a statement, Lokpobiri, who spoke at the governor's office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta said Ogun State has always been part of the Dahomey Basin with prospect of having huge deposit of hyrdro-carbon.

The Minister said: "We decided that we are going to resume exploration in the different Basins; we decided to come to Ogun State to reassure the people that we have very high potential of discoveries here. Ogun has always been part of the Dahomey Basin and our presence underscore the seriousness the federal government attaches to the exploration activities that we want to carry out in Ogun State."

Court Grants Erisco Foods Reviewer, Chioma Okoli N5m Bail

Alex Enumah in Abuja

Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, granted bail to a Facebook user, Chioma Okoli, in the sum of N5 million.

Okoli is standing trial on a twocount charge of conspiracy and cyber-stalking, in connection to her review of a tomato paste produce, belonging to Erisco Foods Limited.

Justice Lifu had on Wednesday adjourned till Friday for hearing in the bail application, shortly after she was arraigned by the Office of the Inspector General (IG) of Police on a

two-count charge of conspiracy and cyber-stalking. Okoli had pleaded not guilty to the charge and his lawyer informed the court of the defendant's bail application, but the court however ordered her remand at the Suleja Correctional Centre and adjourned till Friday, to decide whether to release Okoli on bail.

Delivering ruling yesterday, Justice Lifu, who observed that the alleged offence is bail-able and that the court was inclined to grant the application, admitted the applicant to bail in the sum of N5 million, with two sureties in like sum.

L-R: Head, Public Affairs & Communications, Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), Zainab Obagun; General Manager, Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs, Adenike Oyetunde; Head of Early Children Care Development ECCDE/Special Unit, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Maryland, Lagos, Mrs. Hilda Twins, Chief Fina ncial Officer, CHI Limited, Sergio Martins; Chief People Officer, Temitope Adedayo-Ojo, and Comedian/Brand Ambassador, Chigurl, at the Children’s Day Event Celebration by Chivita|Hollandia…rece ntly.

Tight Security as Emirs Sanusi, Bayero Attend Separate Jumaat Prayers

44 district heads, LGA chairmen pay allegiance to former CBN governor Group urges NJC, NBA to save integrity of legal profession

There was tight security at the Kano City Central Mosque as the 16th Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi 11, led Friday prayers alongside thousands of supporters and well-wishers.

For his part, the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, performed the Juma'at service at the mosque situated outside the Nasarawa Palace under tight security. But the mosque was not filled as the congregation were forced to pray outside the gate sandwiched by armed security men.

This was as the 44 Interim Administrators of local government councils including their District Heads have renewed their allegiance to the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11, during a court session yesterday, at the Emir's palace.

But Citizens Gavel, a nongovernmental organisation, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Nigerian

Michael Olugbode

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has charged parents to ensure the protection of their children.

NAPTIP also urged parents to go all out to protect their wards from all adversaries, especially pedophiles.

Speaking in Kwali Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Director General of the agency, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, gave the charge at a one-day community dialogue and advocacy on Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

Waziri-Azi also charged the parents not to shield perpetrators of SGBV on their children, saying such act is a crime in the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.

She noted that: “The Child Rights Act (CRA) is a strong law that protects

Bar Association (NBA) to save the integrity of the legal profession in the face of conflicting judgements given by multiple judges.

Emir Sanusi who appeared in full traditional regalia, rode white horse to the mosque, where he offered about 15 minutes of Friday sermon in Arabic Language.

Bayero, also appeared in white royal regalia, under the royal umbrella meant only for Emirs, escorted back to the Nasarawa Palace after the prayer.

Earlier, there was false information circulating on social media that the deposed Emir, Bayero, would lead the Jumma’t prayers at the same city central mosque.

But the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, urged all residents to disregard the false information as it is capable of causing a crisis in the state.

He said all necessary security arrangements had been made for Bayero to observe his Jumma'at

the children, their interest should take prominent place in the heart of the parents.

"Grievous cases of SGBV like rape, incest should not be covered up, we must always learn to do the right thing in reporting these cases to law enforcement officers, or NAPTIP.

"Preservation of evidence in these cases must be guided well so that NAPTIP can prosecute the matter, such offences is not allowed to be settle at the community level.

"Everybody must ensure victims are protected, while perpetrators are brought to book, settling grievous SGBV cases at the community level is doing injustice to the victim.

"NAPTIP has started sending a strong message to parents who try to shield perpetrators of SGBV, or hide evidence, it is a crime that attracts a jail sentence," she stressed.

The Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Mr. Danladi Chiya, pledged his readiness from henceforth to support NAPTIP in watching out for SGBV crimes, Represented by Mr. Mathew Yakubu, the Acting Head of Social Welfare of the council, the chairman charged communities in Kwali to also support NAPTIP and report all SGBV cases happening in their vicinity.

prayers in the Mosque where he lives at the Nasarawa Palace.

The CP also assured that the Police and all other state security agencies will provide adequate security at the palace where Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II is expected to observe his Jumma’at prayers.

"Members of the public are therefore advised to ignore the false reports and misinformation

circulating on social media and to go about their activities without fear of molestation or intimidation.

"We assured that the Police will continue to provide the necessary security for ensuring that residents observe their Friday congressional prayers peacefully and without threats to their lives and property."

All the 44 Interim Administrators of local government councils

including their district heads have renewed their allegiance to Emir Sanusi.

One of the district heads who pleased to remain anonymous said, the visit indicated a show of respect, loyalty and submission to the Emir's authority by the local government administrators and district heads in Kano.

"Our visit acknowledged Sanusi's

position as the traditional ruler of Kano, and pledging our unflinching support, and allegiance to him. This is a significant gesture of unity and solidarity," he added.

The local government Chiefs ,and the district heads came along with their respective legislative council members, village and ward heads to pay the homage to the reinstated Emir.

NCDC: Sokoto Mystery Deaths Caused by Heavy Metal Poisoning

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has revealed that preliminary findings showed that the mysterious deaths that recently claimed four lives in Sokoto State,may have been caused by heavy metal poisoning.

The disclosure came on the heels of the inauguration of the National Genomics Surveillance Strategy Consortium by the disease control centre..

The consortium is expected to implement, coordinate and monitor genomic surveillance strategies in the country.

Speaking during the inauguration of the consortium in Abuja, the Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, said though investigation was still ongoing, preliminary findings revealed that the causes of the mysterious deaths that recently claimed four lives in Sokoto State, was heavy metal poisoning..

He said: "We can say that luckily

it is not a disease of infectious origin. We sent the blood samples to different laboratories and what we discovered so far are evidence of heavy metal poisoning in those two states. The fact is that more children would have been affected in Sokoto and Kebbi. We know it is heavy metal poisoning but we are still investigating because it could be a combination of other things."

Idris, however, said there were no further casualties from the metal

poisoning in the two states. NCDC had earlier confirmed that a total of 164 suspected cases were identified in six wards of

deaths were recorded amongst the suspected cases Meanwhile, the NCDC has inaugurated a consortium on National Genomics Surveillance Strategy.

Shennovates/NYSC Pitch and Win Contest Records Success

Femi Solaja

Shennovates, in line with her objectives to empower female entrepreneurs with education, access to opportunities and coaching needed to thrive recently partnered with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Lagos to host a Pitch and Win Contest to foster entrepreneurship. The business competition provided a platform for female Youth Corp members from different platoons to showcase their innovative business ideas spanning various sectors.

ranging from Fashion, Agriculture, Education, Healthcare, Energy, Recycling, Transportation, Housing, Entertainment, and Sports.

Amid an atmosphere buzzing with innovation and ambition, Corps members at the event leveraged the platform to pitch their ventures and shine. Representatives from the platoons eagerly presented their entrepreneurial ventures in industries

The Shennovates team was led by its founder, Moyo Odejide, whose vision and leadership continue to drive initiatives that empower female entrepreneurs across Africa.

She expressed gratitude to the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs.

Yetunde

leadership and partnership as well as members of her team including Mrs. Falegon Uwem of the Legal Unit,

Q-Commerce for Glovo App

Co-founder/CTO

Vale, for their invaluable insights and feedback as panellists and Solomon Oto Prince David, the Lead Coach at Diction Citadel for moderating the event.

Gov Eno Attributes Success Recorded in First Year to Support from Akwa Ibom People

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has attributed the successes recorded in his first year in office to God's grace and the massive support of Akwa Ibom people, as he outlined plans to increase the tempo of governance in the remaining three years of his administration.

Governor Eno made this known in his address at his administration's first anniversary celebration held at the Uyo Township Stadium, where he paid glowing tribute

to his predecessor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, members of his campaign team and those who voted him into office from across ethnic and socio-political divides. He also congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and commended him for signing the Old National Anthem Bill into law, which he said, reflects the nation's aspiration and gives credence to the Akwa Ibom State anthem.

The governor equally

congratulated the President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, whose collaboration, according to him, has helped him reduce the political temperature in the state.

On his scorecard in the past one year, the governor said his government has kept faith with its aspirations in rural development, education, housing, job creation , agriculture, human capacity development and several

infrastructural developments. Making projections into the coming years of his administration, he said his administration will step up the tempo in rural development, food security, housing, market development, infrastructure upgrade, real estate development in Lagos and Abuja, just as he announced approval for a second round of one project per LGA and construction of more strategic rural roads.

Baderinwa, for her excellent

Kolawole Adeniyi, Head

Nigeria, Segun Ojo,

at

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

in Abuja

Isa LGA Bargaja (22), Isa North (17), Isa South (98), Tozai (12), Tsabre (4), and Turba (11).in Sokoto State. The centre said that four

TECH HUB

Unending Cyberbullying by Digital Money Lenders

Despite efforts by the government to clamp down on digital loan sharks in Nigeria over harassment and cyberbullying, Ayodeji Ake writes on new tactics the lenders have adopted

M“y marriage almost crashed two weeks after wedding,” those were the words of Raheem Oketola, an oil marketer who recently got married. His wife was pregnant, and he needed to get some funds before she conceived.

Raheem’s savings went into the wedding preparation and still not enough. He was pushed to get a loan of N50,000 with an unimaginable interest rate.

“As the wedding date inched nearer, I became unsettled and needed more funds. I spent all I had but still not enough. I reached out to a few friends and family members who tried their best, but their best wasn’t enough. Then someone advised me to download a loan app and to my very surprise I got a N20,000 loan at first. I was advised to pay back in 48 hours (about 2 days) and get more, which i did. Then i was given N50,000. I chose to repay in two weeks but i couldn’t meet up.

“Things were hard, and my expectations were cut short. I started receiving calls and SMS from the loan company. I picked at first to explained to them that i would payback after my wedding, but they didn’t stop calling.”

Two weeks into the marriage and after Raheem had settled down with his wife, one afternoon, he received a call from a friend who said he was reached out to by an unknown person who pasted Raheem’s picture on WhatsApp that he raped a 14-years-old girl and on the run. Similarly, one of his in-laws called his wife to report that she got the same message.

“I first thought it was a prank. People kept calling me and my wife and sending us the message with my pictures on it, that i raped a 14-year-old girl. I was scared; my pregnant wife was unhappy because our phones kept buzzing. I didn’t know where the story was coming from until a friend told me it’s another way loan shark companies use to harass loan defaulters. For one good month, i wasn’t myself.” he said.

Opeyemi shared same experience with Raheem. She runs a small bar business and needed funds to buy some products when her creditors were not forthcoming. One months after she got a loan from a digital loan app and couldn’t repay. She got calls from family and friends about how she was tested positive for HIV/AIDS and escaped from the hospital where she was receiving treatment.

“My fiancée stopped calling. I called him several times and he didn’t pick. I was worried. For about a week i didn’t hear from him until one of his friends told me he was also sent the message that i am HIV positive. It cost me my relationship even when i had to go for the test to prove myself. But how many people will i explain to that the story is untrue and from a loan shark company because i defaulted?

“For many weeks people did not come close to me. My customers weren’t coming and i incurred more debt,” she said.

The federal government through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), recently warned that it would start going after loan apps companies that harass their customers.

This came coming following the unlimited complain about the harassment they are subjected to by these loan sharks

The Commission’s acting chairman, Adamu Abdullahi, however said the agency has begun to address the issue.

”It would soon be history in the country that online platforms that many people know as loan sharks, where some Nigerians access money quickly to solve urgent issues,” Abdullahi had said. The Nigeria Data Protection Commission had said it was investigating over 400 cases of privacy breaches involving online loan apps.

It noted that investigations revealed that “loan apps are overly intrusive.”

NDPC is also seeking a ban or restriction on mobile numbers found to have been used by lenders to breach the privacy of their customers.

“They generally violate the principles of data protection and privacy because they have access to contacts, pictures, messages, etc. of data subjects,” the commission stated.

However, a young man who pleaded anonymity, he works with a loan shark company situated at Ikeja, where many of the loan companies are situated, revealed that the loan recovery strategies are not part of the company’s policies but are implemented because of the pressure they get from their employer to meet up with the high daily target.

“The loan shark companies choose not to disclose their location for safety purpose. They know that when their location is known, angry defaulters will come to their company to cause mayhem. On the harassment issue, it’s not the policy of the company for workers to harass debtors but the target they push the workers to make them get money into the company by all means.

“They set them on very strict targets. They work five days a week and an additional two weekends in a month. 6pm is the official closing time but they work till 11pm at night to meet their targets.

“Not meeting the target affects their salary. Where i worked, the gross salary was N50,000, but it is subject to increase or decrease. If anyone misses the daily target, N1,000 will be deducted from the salary. If anyone misses his or target for five days, then automatically, N5,000 will be deducted from the salary.

“That pushes the workers to do all sorts of things to get the payment by anything possible. It’s like the rule of the business,” he revealed.

Speaking to a Fintech expert, Mrs. Ochem Chinenye, argued that there was a huge gap between the fintech companies and the digital loan apps. She insisted that not all financial apps are called fintech.

“We should differentiate loan sharks from

fintech. Not anybody that has an app is a fintech. Does it mean that the traditional banks are fintech? So, the companies that give individuals loans and then start defaming them and calling their family members are not fintechs. They are not digitalising anything. They are just loan sharks.

“They come in; give loans at a certain interest rate. And if you default you are on your own. A lot of Nigerians are very fraudulent. They don’t want to pay. They know that there is no way to track them, there is no way to trace them to get the money and it’s impossible to go to their houses to arrest them for not repaying their loans.

“When they give out loans and you don’t pay, there’s not much they can do. What they can do is to call all your family members and harass you into payment because they can’t arrest you, they can’t do much. But again, to clarify that, these are not fintechs, but loan sharks.

“When you talk about fintechs my mind goes to companies that actually design financial services for individuals and businesses. These are companies that are actually digitalising financial services not loan sharks.

“In my head I can even think of some that I even receive their messages randomly that one person died. These are not fintechs. Let’s be able to differentiate them,” she said.

Speaking on dealing with loan shark companies, Chinenye, said apart from the government wading in, Nigerians should desists from loans they can’t meet up with the repayment terms.

“If you want to deal with loan sharks, slander is bad but firstly, Nigerians should ask themselves why are they getting loans they can’t repay? Why do they sign agreements they breach, give access to their contacts and all of those things and then refuse to payback?.

“They should stop collecting loans and suddenly refuse to communicate when they call. I know that what the loan sharks are doing is terrible. I condemn it but I’m also saying that they are not doing it to innocent people. I don’t think, I’ve not heard anybody that has come out to say that I have paid them their money as at when due and they are slandering me. Most times its people that have defaulted. So, if you are defaulting you are also guilty,” she said.

Speaking further, she said: “I agree that most Nigerians have trust issue. The trust issue is not just with fintechs, it’s on banks. Even on traditional banks that are not well known. People are very skeptical with some banks because its their hard-earned money and its understandable.

“I can’t think of any popular fintech in Nigeria that people are using, putting money or performing transactions that doesn’t have an office. Their offices are open 24/7, you can go there, you can walk in. “You can contact them via support and most of these fintechs unlike banks are very responsive to support because nobody likes their name dragged in the mud. There are fintechs that are raising money from international investors.

“They don’t want anybody to come online and be calling them scammers so they try to do things as good as possible and as transparent as possible and they have support unlike banks that you’d be calling your account officer and nobody is responding to you.”

AYODEJI AKE

07056085642

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has said the state-of-the-art data centre capable of storing up 1.4 petabytes of data base for private security guards would enhance national security.

The minister stated this at the Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on Nigeria Private Guards Industry, recently.

He acknowledged that the private security guards play critical role in development as well as in national security architecture in their various countries.

“And looking at the industry as at today, we think their potential are under tapped, the effect of the industry in terms of our national security architecture, over the years, had been inactivated due to lack of standardisation.

“Basically, in terms of policy formulation and adherence to global best practices, in terms of coming up with a data base for productivity and efficiency.”

Tunji-Ojo explained that the development would no doubt, lead to creation of more jobs, better security for the country, both formal and informal sector as well as individuals.

“It is difficult for me to leave my family with a guard that perhaps is a rapist, it is difficult to leave my home to somebody I don’t know is a burglar. So, with a reliable data base, it will take off these fears in Nigerians,” he explained.

He said with reliable data, every guard would be well known to Nigerians, because it would give opportunity to people for background check before engagement.

PressPayNg has announced its sponsorship of the popular debate series “I Beg to Differ” on Nigeria Info FM Abuja.

According to a statement yesterday, this season’s first captivating debate topic, “Does Social Media Negatively Impact Mental Health in Teenagers?” promises to ignite thought-provoking discussions and provide insightful perspectives over 16 compelling debate sessions.

“As a leading advocate for education and community engagement, PressPayNg recognises the importance of fostering critical thinking and informed dialogue on issues that affect our daily lives. The chosen debate topic addresses a timely and relevant concern in today’s digital age, where social media’s influence on mental health has become a subject of global discourse.

“The debate series will feature participants from diverse backgrounds, including students, professionals, and mental health experts. Each session will allow debaters to present their arguments, backed by research and personal experiences, creating a dynamic platform for exploring the multifaceted relationship between social media and mental well-being,” it added.

Chief Executive Officer of PressPayNg, Mr. Abiola Metilelu, said, “our sponsorship of I Beg to Differ aligns with our commitment to supporting initiatives that pr omote intellectual growth and societal well-being. By enabling these discussions, we hope to contribute to a deeper understanding of how social media can both positively and negatively impact mental health and to encourage responsible usage and digital literacy.

“PressPayNg is excited to be part of this impactful initiative and looks forward to the enlightening conversations that will emerge from “I Beg to Differ.” Join us in exploring this critical topic and supporting the debaters as they navigate the complexities of social media and mental health.”

Odunfa

Bola Tinubu: There is Hope

AAnd the Bola Tinubu administration has not failed to state in clear terms the challenges and his desire to face them head on. On Wednesday, the President commissioned the Abuja light rail metro. The president was right when he said the metro light rail “stands as a symbol of progress, connectivity, inclusivity, and it signifies our determination to modernise our transportation infrastructure.”

A six month-free ride has been declared for Nigerians! Everyone is happy about the speed the administration saw to the take-off of the metro light rail, something the previous administration failed to deliver in eight years.

Earlier in Lagos, the president laid the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the 700km Lagos-Calabar coastal highway which when completed would create about 30 million jobs. This is an ambitious project, but with determination it can be achieved.

Also, the administration has committed to the operationalization of the Port Harcourt-Aba rail line.

The Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund aims to raise N20 trillion to deliver critical projects and modernise ports in the blue economy initiative. President Tinubu’s first attempt since coming to power has been to stop the excessive bleeding in the economy he inherited. There was economic turmoil causing widespread poverty, and rising unemployment. Proceeds from the common patrimony, oil, were in the hands of the few through the use of oil subsidy. To end the practice which had caused serious economic haemorrhage, President Tinubu implemented bold step and terminated the unsustainable fuel subsidy. He also unified the FOREX market thus reducing the powers of the black marketers who have caused serious harm to the national currency, the naira. The liberalisation of the downstream oil sector and the forex market were pivotal steps, with the aim of redirecting funds to critical sectors like healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

The policy directives have improved the investment climate, increased crude oil and NLNG production, and initiated significant projects like rehabilitating the Port Harcourt refinery and constructing the Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kano Gas Pipeline.

Another critical element of the reform was the prioritisation of national security. This led to a significant investment to modernise and equip the

nation’s security forces. It has led to the rescue of over 4,600 hostages, more than 9,300 of the criminals neutralised, and over 7,000 terrorists and bandits arrested. The president swiftly moved to establish a N50 billion Pulako Initiative to annually recruit 30,000 new police personnel, which further underscore the administration’s commitment to a safer Nigeria.

Food security is key to the security and well-being of the citizens. The president moved to immediately tackle food security, by declaring a state of emergency in the agric sector. President Tinubu launched the National Agricultural Development Fund with N100 billion. Initiatives like the Dry Season Farming and the Green Imperative Programme, which aim to promote year-round farming and provide farmers with access to modern equipment and low-interest loans will ensure a stable food supply. Recognising the youth as invaluable assets, the administration has launched initiatives like the Three Million Technical Talent Initiative to empower young Nigerians with digital skills. The National Job Centre and the National Talent Programme aim to create employment opportunities and support youth-owned enterprises.

Another plus side for the youth was the launch of the Student Loan Scheme, which has been described as a transformative step towards ensuring sustainable higher education and skill development for Nigerian students.

Bala Yakubu, Abuja

THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

EDITOR OBINNA CHIMA

DEPUTY EDITOR AHAMEFULA OGBU

MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO

DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR ISRAEL IWEGBU

CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI

EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN THE OMBUDSMAN KAYODE KOMOLAFE

THISDAY NEWSPAPERS LIMITED

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA

GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, EMMANUEL EFENI

ODU:

Rise up for

Ogwashi-Ukwu

ODIVISIONAL DIRECTORS SHAKA MOMODU, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE

DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI

SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR PATRICK EIMIUHI

CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI

DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO

TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

C Fe

We the members of Change Makers Forum and One Voice, Our Choice says enough is enough. Ogwashi-Ukwu must rise up. Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem, Ogwashi-Ukwu

Donald Trump, very rich, at the moment. Mother Teresa, very poor.

Donald Trump, sells bibles. Mother Teresa, reads bibles.

Donald Trump, found to be a rapist, has affairs and makes misogynist comments. Mother Teresa, living a pure, clean life. And there are many other possible comparisions, but a simple statement sums up the matter- Donald Trump, sinner Mother Teresa, saint.

One may see the rewards for their actions in Heaven, the other in Rikers Prison. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

Mother Teresa and Donald Trump

Lulu-Briggs: Platform Petroleum Targeting $1bn Investments, 10,000bpd by 2025

Having succeeded in operating and adding value to the oil assets it acquired about two decades ago, Platform Petroleum, one of Nigeria’s independent producers is currently targeting $1 billion investment to drill additional wells to hit 10,000 barrels per day by 2025. Chairman of the company, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who disclosed this during an interview at the just-concluded Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, United States also revealed the company’s plan to purchase additional oil blocks for portfolio expansion, amongst other ambitious plans. Peter Uzoho brings the excerpts:

Ifeanyi Onuba

Kindly give us an overview of your journey into the petroleum industry and how it dovetailed into your current position as the chairman of Platform Petroleum?

After earning a Law degree from Ahmadu Bello University and a Master’s from the University of London, I attended law school in Nigeria and briefly practiced law in Lagos. Drawn to politics, I moved to Port Harcourt, where I tried local politics and ran a pub, displeasing my father. To satisfy him, I co-founded a law firm. Later, my father encouraged me to join his oil business, despite my lack of experience. I was initially interviewed for a legal adviser role but was appointed General Manager instead. Recognising unfavorable agreements with our foreign partners, I sought advice from Austin Avuru, who became a key advisor. Avuru’s expertise led us to establish Platform Petroleum, gathering a team of experienced Nigerian professionals. We started with His Royal Highness Edmund Daukoru as our first chairman and Prof. Sylvester Adegoke as our Vice Chairman, then I came onboard just as a shareholder. In 2004, former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Daukoru as Adviser first then later as a Minister and that was how he left Platform Petroleum. That was how Prof. Sylvester Adegoke became Chairman, and I became the Vice Chairman. In 2011/2012, I became chairman, and I am the chairman till date.

Our strategic partnerships and renegotiated agreements helped us thrive. We began with minimal resources but secured investments and funding through innovative financial strategies. By 2007, we commenced oil production, achieving significant success from our small field. My collaboration with Avuru was pivotal, transforming our company into a strong indigenous player in Nigeria’s oil industry. That is how I got into the oil and gas industry which I had no prior knowledge on. This journey, though initially reluctant, became deeply fulfilling and impactful.

Can you elaborate on the collaboration with NewCross and its impact on Platform Petroleum?

Our relationship with NewCross was a game changer and quite mutually beneficial. Having joint venture (JV) partners like New Cross makes operations smoother for marginal field operators. With 100 per cent collaboration and transparency, we quickly earned NewCross’s confidence, leading to minimal questioning from them. We worked together on many projects,

including setting up the Ase River crude evacuation pipeline, a crucial 24-kilometer infrastructure to the Brass Terminal.

We proposed a 50/50 JV with New Cross, diverging from the typical 60/40 arrangement, and successfully built the pipeline, benefiting our cluster partners and generating additional revenue through tariffs.

Our partnership with New Cross extends to both upstream and midstream ventures, including PNG Gas Limited, a significant Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) player in Nigeria, producing 30,000 tons of LPG and 30,000 million standard cubic feet of gas. This collaboration has been incredibly rewarding, marked by open, meaningful conversations and mutual understanding, ensuring we always move in the same direction without conflict.

What have been the challenges and key milestones achieved during this journey?

We were the smallest in 2004, but we were the first to bring our field on-stream and we have been producing that small

asset. We have increased our oil production from 2,000 to over 3,000 barrels. Today, we have been able to extract at least some 12.3 million barrels and 118 billion standard cubic feet (SCF) of gas from that small asset and we are still on. We aim for 10,000 barrels, having expanded into three additional marginal fields.

From the start, we decided to run Platform as a family, treating everyone with importance and fostering a highly motivated workforce. We address issues affecting our staff, ensuring their welfare, and maintaining a supportive environment. This familial spirit extends to all stakeholders and communities, with a commitment to exceeding expectations in community spending. Our journey has been both rewarding and challenging.

Do you have a timeline for the 10,000 barrels per day target?

We aim to bring all marginal fields into production by 2025, targeting 10,000 barrels of oil and at least 50 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day. To mitigate the volatility of the oil and gas industry, we have diversified into non-E&P ventures. As a small company, price fluctuations can significantly impact us unlike larger players like Seplat. So, we have invested in real estate, building a 19-storey Towers, and expanded into logistics and leasing. We are involved across the entire value chain; upstream, midstream, and downstream, operating service stations in Lagos, Warri, and Port Harcourt, and exploring refining opportunities. Despite our size, we have achieved significant success and efficiency, proving that a small company can accomplish big things effectively.

Do you plan to take advantage of the upcoming licencing rounds?

We are very ambitious because we want to become a tier-1 company like the IOCs or a tier-2 company like Seplat. Interestingly, Seplat originated from Maurel & Prom, Shebah Petroleum, and Platform. We capitalised on the first divestment and today, Seplat is a major player. This demonstrates that Platform can also grow significantly.

We have planned a roadshow in London this June 2024 to explore opportunities arising from various divestments. Although we were unsuccessful in the 2020 marginal field rounds, our contributions to the industry are substantial. We have three fields set to start production by 2025. We funded these projects, provided expertise, and identified promising assets. Successfully bringing these fields to production will boost national output and validate our efforts. We believe Platform deserves recognition and more assets.

Tinubu Inaugurates Three Naval Ships, Two Helicopters

To tackle endemic maritime crimes, as well as boost the nation’s Blue Economy, President Bola Tinubu, has inaugurated three Nigerian Navy (NN) ships and two helicopters at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The inauguration of the platforms was part of activities lined up for the celebration of the 68th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy as well as the fifth International Maritime Conference.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Shettima, noted that since the formation of the Nigerian Navy 68 years ago, the service had continued to confront contending issues by adopting what he described as the most optimal policies and strategies to address the rapidly changing security challenges in the nation.

Noting that the conference, with the theme “Promoting the Blue Economy in Africa through International Cooperation on Mari-

time Security,” was apt as it encapsulated the major objective of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, the Vision of Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050, and a key target of Africa’s Agenda 2063, he said it also offered the best platform for relevant stakeholders to articulate the mechanism for collaborative action against maritime crimes in Africa.

The President commended the Navy and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla for creating a safe and secure maritime environment.”

The President referred to the Navy as “lifeguards of Nigeria’s Maritime Environment” and applauded Ogalla’s anti- crude oil theft operations which has led to increasing levels oil production for Nigeria.

Earlier in his welcome address, Ogalla, described maritime threats as transnational in nature and capable of hampering the potential of the blue economy of nations.

He said ameliorating these threats was beyond the scope and capability of one

nation but required international collaborative efforts.

He added: “It is believed that this conference will provide a viable platform to collectively develop strategies in addressing Africa’s inherent security challenges arising from the development of the blue economy.”

Ogalla highlighted past regional and continental levels of cooperation and collaboration aimed at achieving sustainable maritime security architecture in Africa, including the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy 2050 and the 2013 Yaounde Declaration, which established the Code of Conduct, Memorandum of Understanding, and Protocols for collective maritime security initiatives for member states of the Gulf of Guinea.

These initiatives, he said, attested to the political level commitment to security and developmental imperatives in the continent’s maritime domain.

The CNS also recalled that as part

of regional initiatives to promote maritime security, the African Union, through its communique 1012 of 2021, established the Combined Maritime Task Force for the region.

He explained that ”In line with its 2021 – 2030 strategic plan, the Nigerian Navy embarked on fleet recapitalisation, manpower development, indigenous shipbuilding efforts and strategic partnership to secure Nigeria’s maritime domain and by extension, the Gulf of Guinea region.

“Recently, the Nigerian Navy Hydrography Department was upgraded to the National Hydrographic Agency. This is with a view to improving charting and seabed mapping of Nigeria’s maritime domain.

“The Nigerian Navy’s Naval Dockyard Limited have also embarked on ship repair efforts and trainings for our friendly navies.”

Biggs

Chiemelie Ezeobi

Ferdinand Ekechukwu - 08035011394

Email: ferdi_adthisday@yahoo.com

Mohbad: Between Late Singer and Unending Family Drama

Stories by Ferdinand Ekechukwu

It doesn’t seem issues surrounding late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka Mohbad will rest anytime soon, especially as his father, Joseph Aloba, has been seen continuously making comments deemed unhealthy and disgusting since after the passing of his son.

A former record label member of Marlian Music, Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking chain of controversies. Less than 24 hours after his tragic death, his father hurriedly buried him in Ikorodu, Lagos. Why such hasty act is yet unanswered.

After his burial, Mohabad’s death stirred a nationwide protest, conversation, and soon became a popular affair, with entertainment personalities like Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dike, Toyin Abraham, VDM, among other social media influencers chasing clout on the guise of demanding justice for the deceased artiste.

Following his death, his family – father, mother, and wife - pitted in various disputes, including matters concerning the paternity of Mohbad’s son, Liam, his property, how Mohbad favoured his mum over his dad with millions, and an autopsy result to ascertain the cause of his death.

The Lagos State Police Command had, on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death. His death also led to the arrest of Marlian record label lead and singer, Naira Marley and his associate, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, among others.

On the police investigations, several discoveries

were reported, including professional negligence in administering medication by one auxiliary nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, who had administered various injections to Mohbad, triggering adverse reactions, vomiting, and convulsions.

Efforts to save him were short-lived as Mohbad was pronounced dead upon reaching Cura-Med Hospital, and later Perez Hospital affirmed his demise. The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy following a widespread outcry by fans and concerned Nigerians.

With Mohbad’s remains being exhumed, his fans and family anticipated the autopsy result would reveal his cause of death. But that was not to be. In January, 2024, his father, Joseph Aloba, disclosed that the delay in burying his son was

due to DNA testing and autopsy results.

Recent Developments

Added to the controversies and issues in a recent developments are separate petitions against Mr. Aloba by the late singer’s mother, Mrs. Abosede Olumiyi, and Mohbad’s wife, popularly known as Wunmi, for alleged plan to kill her, Mohbad’s wife and Mohbad’s son, Liam.

While Wunmi accused Mr. Aloba of cyberstalking and defamation of character. She further accused him of resorting to “name-calling, character assassination and defamation of her character”.

Wunmi in the petition said that her father-in-law on May 19, and at different times threatened her life and that of her son, Liam, on social media, especially TikTok.

She says, “In addition, Mr. Joseph Aloba also instructed his followers on social media to help him deal with Master Liam Aloba and his mother because he is a bastard child and not the child of the deceased, llerioluwa Promise Aloba.

“That Master Liam Aloba has bowlegs signifying a strange trait not compatible with his deceased son, llerioluwa Promise Aloba.”

She warned that if he failed to publicly apologise within 14 days of the receipt of the letter, she would be left with no other option but to sue and demand the sum of N50 million in damages.

Mohbad’s mother Abosede on her part in the petition further alleged that her ex-husband had been threatening her life for refusing to join him to fabricate falsehood against Mohbad’s wife, Omowunmi about the late singer’s death.

Abosede, among her claims, said Aloba has been granting interviews to the press and bloggers on social media wherein he threatens her life. Adding that she had been seeing strangers lurking around her former residence and that forced her

‘Troublous Weekend’ Goes on YouTube

“Just in 2 days. Thank you once again for your contribution to this. It took a while, but every time I remember your contribution and support. I am always graceful. Our path will shine brighter and brighter and believe me, the rest will be massive. Much love…’ appreciation, multiple-award winning

Weekend”, on YouTube. From the stable of Bosun Amao Productions, the movie marks Amao’s directorial debut, which he also produced.

Starring Stan Nze, Anthony Monjaro, the drama thriller is set on the gripping

tale of a weekend getaway. Other actors featured include Chinelo Ememchukwu and Crystabel Goddy. Troublous Weekend follows mysterious events that forced a young man protect the family from the enemies within.

Jason Adams, the only surviving child of wealthy parents, and his girlfriend Betty, seek a pleasant weekend away at his grandmother’s house. They arrive alongside Jason’s cousin Ken and Ken’s girlfriend Isabel.

While Jason plans a weekend of celebration, including proposing to and marrying Betty, he soon discovers the surprise is on him. The new maid, Zina, informs them of

As PSquare’s Paul, Ivy Begin Their Wedding Journey

When Paul Okoye of the famous PSquare duo first hinted at remarrying sometime in April during an exchange with fans on social media, not many in his audience at that particular moment were of the opinion that he was serious, being that he had often attracted trolls showing off his girlfriend, Ivy Ifeoma at every little opportunity.

To them, at that particular instance, the ‘Rudeboy’ of the PSquare twins was seen to be teasing them while scolding fans who had wished his divorce from his ex-wife to be toxic. It is their wishes, but not one to which he is bound to succumb to as he urged them to accept he is with his new partner, Ivy Ifeoma.

“Some of y’all wish and think all divorces must be toxic, looking for someone to blame so that y’all can be entertained…” Paul wrote on his Instagram story. He then went on to unveil hash tag options for himself and his “Gen Z” partner, Ifeoma, whom he had introduced in 2022, shortly after divorce.

“#Ifeomanonso Or #Ifynonso. Choose one,” he quipped, seeking option to which to settle for. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when the popular Rudeboy recently delighted fans by posting photos of his marriage introduction with his heartthrob,

Ivy Ifeoma, simply captioned “#Ifynonso”. By the way, Paul’s other name is Nonso. The couple’s traditional ceremony took place in Ivy’s hometown of Igbere, Abia State a few days ago, to begin their wedding rites. Although neither Paul Okoye nor Ivy Ifeoma Iboko had posted any photos from the event until Sunday, May 26, 2024.

Following reports of their traditional marriage, which also noted Ivy Ifeoma’s rumored pregnancy, a snippet from the ceremony surfaced online, capturing the couple in traditional attire.

grandmother’s mysterious absence, setting an uneasy tone.

With several years of leading highly successful stage productions within and outside Nigeria has seen the Canada-based Amao is co-executive producer of multiple marked an unprecedented theatrical release in over 100 cinemas in the UK and Nigeria.

accolades including the Jury Award for Best Short in North America at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival.

In a move to captivate audiences nationwide, Daylight Group in partnership with CallMeNgLabelle Kontents Ltd, is set to produce ‘Voltage’, starring Nollywood favourites such as Keppy Ekpeyong, Segun Arinze, Sunny McDon, Olumide Oworu Kate Henshaw, Ricardo Agbor, Kelvin Ikeduba, and White Money.

be a blockbuster, boasting a stellar cast and crew to bring “Voltage” to life. Produced by Ngozi Ogbonna Nglabelle, directed by Fred Amata, other cast of the movie includes Rotimi Adelegan Aaron Sunday, and Jude Chkwuka.

Tega {played by Olumide Oworo}, a young man burdened by his ailing mother’s wishes to join the corrupt family business, takes on a new role exposing the deep-rooted corruption plaguing the power sector.

Following a tragic event in his neighborhood, Tega uncovers a web of deceit within

to be targeted by a ruthless cartel.

to relocate to another place.

The petitions coincided with Aloba’s appearance on Friday, May 24, as a guest on television, where he argued about the state in which his child died, adding that he believes his son did not die a natural death. He also noted that the paternity of Mohbad’s child, Liam, was a bone of contention for him.

He said he heard the deceased’s friend saying that the singer argued that the little boy was not his because he slept with his wife Wunmi only once. Wunmi in the eyes of a number of social media users is seen as a groupie. This perception of the lady is often expressed in the comment sections.

Meanwhile, the autopsy conducted on the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad, had failed to determine the cause of his death, according to a forensic scientist and pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

The forensic scientist and pathologist Mr. Sunday Osiyemi, in a report in May, 2024 told the coroner, Adedayo Shotobi, who is a magistrate, why the cause of Mohbad’s death could not be determined.

The report added that Mohbad’s family lawyer, Wahab Shittu, however, informed journalists that the pathologist suggested the possibility that the late singer’s death might have been connected to specific medications.

The lawyer said: “The pathologist said the body ought to have been exhumed within 12 hours after it was buried to avoid decomposition. So the summary he is saying is that the cause of death cannot be ascertained, and when you say the cause of death cannot be ascertained, it means it is suspicious, it is not clear, and there is no particular reason.”

With his life and the lives of his friends an unlikely ally to expose the truth and bring down this cartel against the odds. The movie delves into a prevalent concern with a satirical lens, exploring its impact on individuals, families, and the national economy.

Voltage is scheduled to premiere on June 30th, 2024, followed by a nationwide cinema release on the 5th of July, 2024.

Paul and Ivy

Late Mohbad

Olatunbosun Amao

Kate

Richard Mofe-Damijo: Testament of Industrious Career

At the recent Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMCVA), esteemed actor Richard Mofe-Damijo was bestowed with the prestigious Industry Merit Award, also known as the Lifetime Achievement Award. This honor stands as a testament to his illustrious career, marked by a multitude of accolades, and his iconic status as a household name. At 62 years old, Mofe-Damijo has left an indelible mark on the Nigerian and African Known for his remarkable performances

others, his acting prowess is unparalleled.

His distinct style, honed over years of experience, has endeared him to audiences across the globe and earned him a reputation as one of Africa’s

Throughout his career, Mofe-Damijo lead roles, supporting characters, and various genres, showcasing his versatility and depth as an actor. Directors and producers clamor for his him to feature in their movies, recognising the value he brings to any production with his seasoned artistry and commanding presence on screen.

Receiving the Industry Merit Award at AMCVA was a crowning achievement as a titan of African cinema. As he continues to inspire generations of

icon in the entertainment industry remains unmatched.

sweeps the hearts of many is his fashion sense in which he pays attention to detail.

meticulously curated. He often complements a personal touch that enhances his overall look.

His fashion sense is a testament to his understanding of style, his appreciation for tradition, and his ability to innovate.

His clothing choices not only enhance his public persona but also contribute to his legacy as a cultural icon. As RMD continues to evolve in his fashion journey, he remains a beacon of style and sophistication in the African entertainment industry.

Dbanj to Release New Album this Month

Releasing his latest single, on his musical journey

Over the years, he has evolved into a musical powerhouse, known for his dynamic stage presence and genreblending sound. From his early hits like

pushed the boundaries of Afrobeats and pop music. His new single celebrates his the music industry, marking two decades of innovation, resilience, and success.

D’banj’s growth and lasting impact on the global music scene.

Throughout his career, he has won Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards, and MTV Africa Music Awards. for his entrepreneurial ventures and agriculture and youth empowerment. D’banj’s musical journey is a testament to his versatility, resilience, and music industry.

has also hinted the release of an album set to drop this June. On an Instagram post he shared a few days years of solid entertainment, I can’t help but appreciate all those who have been a part of this wonderful

journey. I was thrilled to speciaLEE invite,

Dinner/Album release launch happening this June.

Thank you for supporting me and being part of my journey. I must greet you so

the anticipation of what would be unveiled with this new album is buzzing on the hearts of fans across the globe. Known for his charismatic stage presence and unique D’banj is surely going to be serving us the best of beats, lyrical contents, entertainment and experience just has he has served us

Mansa Cole Unveils ‘Nostalgia’ Nollywood Stars Lead Health Campaign, Walk for Life

Mansa Cole has collaborated with emerging Afrobeat vocalist, Manovah to unveil their latest single, release showcases the synergy between Cole’s industry expertise

elements, creating a unique and captivating sound. The track is set to resonate with a wide audience, highlighting the rich cultural influences and modern musical trends that this song, Mansa Cole and Manovah aim to make a significant impact on the music scene, offering listeners a harmonious fusion of genres and an unforgettable auditory experience. transcends boundaries and genres, Mansa Cole said.

listeners with its soulful melodies and hypnotizing

Ttiative, a program dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurial skills in young Nigerians held in Lagos, recently.

African Kid Entrepreneurs

with the skills and mindset required to become

-

and temptation, this new song is sure to leave

Mansa Cole remains a dynamic force in the music and entertainment industry as he is renowned for his executive prowess and talent record spanning many years, Cole’s influence has shaped the careers of numerous artists, establishing him as a respected figure in the Nigerian music scene.

Tfor Life’ event at Onikan

the Nollywood industry and beyond. The event featured a range of activities aimed at promoting health and wellness among participants, including a health walk, mental health talk, HMO signups, seminars, workplace safety workshops, a novelty football match, health checkups, and various games.

such as actor and politician Desmond Elliot,

other stars from the Nigerian entertainment industry.

Rollas, emphasised the importance of such initiatives in promoting a healthier lifestyle

members irrespective of their social and career

walk around the environs of the stadium, energising participants and setting a positive tone for the rest of the event. This was followed by a series of health safety measures, which

provided attendees with valuable insights and resources. One of the highlights of the day was the novelty football match, which brought together actors and other celebrities in a friendly but competitive game. The match entertained attendees and underscored the event’s theme of promoting physical activity and camaraderie. Attendees also had access to free health checkups, allowing them to monitor their health status and receive professional medical advice. Additionally, a variety of games and activities kept the atmosphere lively and engaging for participants of all ages.

successful entrepreneurs and future leaders. said the event was essential in addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.

Unachukwu highlighted the need for early entrepreneurial education to empower the next generation, believing that equipping young minds with entrepreneurial skills and a growth mindset can drive economic development and

entrepreneurs, the initiative aims to create a future generation capable of tackling socioeconomic issues with innovative solutions and leadership.

reforms to mold the minds of young Nigerians, reduce poverty, fraud, unemployment, and he added.

which employs diverse tools to modify behavior, cognitive processes, and values. It

textbooks, workbooks, videos, cartoons, practical manuals, and trainer journals. Adding to this long-term plan to nurture the next generation

Mofe-Damijo

Dbanj

Mansa

Keys to Success as Female Entrepreneur

Not a few women are blazing the trail in Nigeria’s business terrain, notwithstanding that their rate of participation in the labour market is not close to that of their male counterparts which represents 65.9 per cent of Nigeria’s labour force.

Challenges abound that restrain women from either accessing jobs or forced out of employment population. This is in spite of their ability to impact growth rapidly. In its recent Employee Satisfaction report, Jobberman Nigeria revealed that 70 per cent of women are likely to leave their current jobs, 24 per cent are yet to make up their minds while only six percent are happy to remain.

Ranging from issues as discriminatory practices, pay, gender bias, denied promotion opportunities, workplace harassment, intimidation and pressures from family, career balance, amongst others, all constrain women in the work place.

The aforementioned challenges also come as major discouragements for Chief Executive Officer of Emerging Africa Group, Dr. Toyin Sanni whose name may not have mattered or impacted generations had she given in to circumstances.

Right from her days as Group Chief Executive Officer of United Capital Plc, the finance guru said she had to leverage connections with family, friends and mentors for advice and encouragement as well as support network to stay.

Not also dismissing the place of resilience, determination and persistence, she encouraged ambitious women to emulate these strategies to succeed in their career path.

Guided by the above, Sanni rose through the ranks to become one of the few women calling the shot in nation’s investment banking space, and in 2018, established Emerging Africa, a leading provider of financial services that is giving competitors a run for their money.

Expected while setting up a new and womanowned enterprise, those challenges the multiple award winning wealth advisor thought she may have overcome as an employee resurfaced, but in a new dimension.

According to her, establishing own-business poses challenges for women in areas such as financing, doubt or trust deficit from male prospective male clients or partners, amongst others.

Citing her experience, she said, “I recognised a critical gap in Africa’s access to finance and investments, thus the motivation for Emerging Africa to bridge this gap by creating a financial institution that empowers individuals and younger businesses across the continent. More so, my passion for entrepreneurship pushed me.

“However, at the initial stage, I was held back by lack of peer mentors and advisers as well as the underrepresentation of women in the financial space. There aren’t many women controlling this space and that gave me a kind of skepticism about my capacity.

“Also to note was initial bottlenecks to secure mandates for sizeable transactions, in some cases feeling edged out by male figures in the industry. There were instances of male clients who had committed to work with us and would later recant based on pushback from their friends who wouldn’t let us join the “club”. Of course, not all men resist women in business.

“There were also limitations around accessing patient funding to underwrite transactions, being a male-dominated Industry was also a threat while securing investment for a woman-led venture was notably difficult.”

On how she overcame, the Lagos Business School (LBS) alumni said she drew strength from her long-term vision and the support of trusted mentors and colleagues who believed in her mission.

As par sourcing capital to get the business off the ground, she said she took the risk of sacrificing her life savings, family asset, funds of friends and support of mentors like Tony Elumelu, Yinka Sanni at StanbicIBTC, Ike Chioke at Afrinvest and Jimoh Abubakar, amongst others.

She advised that women who are stuck at the capital stage have quite a number of options to explore, including offerings by Emerging Capital Microfinance banks and Venture Capital division.

“They specialised in providing essential funding for early stage businesses who have achieved proof of concept and meet their other criteria,” she said.

Other than that, she said women founders could also explore Incubation programs and investment from angel investors and crowdfunding platforms.

“Better still, applying for grants and loans targeted at women entrepreneurs. Additionally, tapping into personal savings, utilising business incubators or accelerators, and exploring partnerships or collaborations can help secure the necessary capital to launch a successful venture,” she informed.

Acknowledging that some with financial prowess get trapped with business / investment choice, she advised, “Women can leverage opportunities offered by the global demand for sustainable investments such as renewable energy, solar transition, SMEs financing and gender lens investing.

“The female economy also offers opportunities (US economy last year was dominated by the Trio of Taylor Swift, Beyonce and the film Barbie). Opportunities abound in Fashion, cosmetics, make-up and personal care products.

“The recent reforms in the power space has opened opportunities to invest in IPPs and supply power to eligible buyers. Social media have amplified the value of the creative arts like fashion, music, movies, culinary arts and the like. Moreover, our Balanced Diversity Fund at Emerging Africa Group is another great wealth option available for women in today’s economic landscape.”

PERSONAL FINANCE

Gino, Wavecrest Highlight Opportunities in Food, Hospitality Sectors

The Nigeria’s food and hospitality industries valued at $3.2 billion and over $1.3 billion respectively continue to be a key component and driver of economy, thus a viable investment option to consider.

This was the take home at an industry event tagged: ‘African Hospitality: 50 Years and Beyond’ in which experts also projected a positive outlook for sectors where the environment is enabling enough.

The event held on the sidelines of the 50th anniversary of Wavecrest College of Hospitality held in partnership with Gino

Nigeria

Speaking, CEO of GB Foods, Mr. Vincent Egbe, stated that the meeting was timely and necessary given the importance of the sector to food security and meeting the growing demand for diverse and high-quality food products.

He added that the success of Nigeria’s food revolution journey hinges on food acconsistency, convenience, and quality.

“The event is also put together to celebrate African culinary mastery and hospitality and their essence.”, he said.

The week- long event engaged a crosssection of experts who dissect the industries at walk, games day, outreach, open day and food fair as well as a boot camp with attendees equipped with skills in food photography, makeup artistry, personal branding, and social media management.

The highlight of the event was a culinary competition tagged, ‘Chef Battle’ where contestants created innovative dishes using Gino and Bama products. The winners of the contest which included Lagoon Institute for Hospitality Studies students, CMK Culinary School and Wavecrest College were also commended.

ACFE Honoured for Raising Bar in Anti-Fraud Compliance

TFraud Examiners (ACFE) Lagos chapter, has emphasised the need for collaboration in fraud

This comes as its President Dr. Titilayo Fowokan bagged recognition for leadership and hard work by the Youth Partnership for Africa’s Development (YOUPAD).

Fowokan, in a short period as president of the association has proven her mettle in anti-fraud spearheaded against fraud escalation.

The group also presented ACFE Lagos a

According to YOUPAD, a Pan- African youth league committed to leadership and entrepreneurship, Fowokan’s choice for the Thomas-Shankara Pan -African for leadership excellence for Hardwork and Contributions to

Nation Building stemmed from her footprints in Nigeria’s taxation and anti-fraud push. President of the group, Henry Nwakwo reiterated the objective of the group to building the youth for leadership and entrepreneurship towards Africa’s prosperity, noting that Fowokan’s undertaking had being quite relevant to driving the group’s objectives.

He added that the prize was an instrument of commendation reserved to appreciating great Africans whose lives and deeds exemplify the life of living for the sake of others and dedicated to the renewal of Pan-Africanism ideology. Presenting the award, he said, “This is to Dr Fowokan’s hard work and contributions to nation building through taxation and fraud extermination which are as outstanding as they are remarkable. You are a professional with zero tolerance to corruption, nepotism or favoritism. Your contributions to Nigeria’s economy and Africa at large did not go unnoticed”.

Experts Harp on Integration to Boost Regional GDP

The need for strengthening regional integration to enhance economic growth in Africa was recently reiterated at the Africa CEO Forum that held in Kigali, Rwanda, recently.

Experts from across the continent who gathered for the forum express concern that Africa’s share of global trade was still less than three percent in spite of binding agreements, including African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Speaking at the forum, the Chief Executive noted that factors such as language, political and geographical barriers still limit collaborations and pose a great challenge to business integration in Africa.

business aviation to bridge existing gap and drive necessary growth. According to him, as

Africa continues to evolve, the need for business

“Business aviation is a success enabler for the 21st century African leader. It bypasses the common barriers that hinder mobility and collaboration in Africa whilst facilitating connectivity for business and policy leaders across boundaries”, he stated.

Salami further reiterated the company’s determination to foster innovations that would distinguish African leaders in global society.

“We are leveraging innovation to make busithereby democratizing access to an often-exclusive service. Our innovative approach has led to the development of digital platforms CharterXE and

Stanbic IBTC Rewards

70 More in Promo

Stanbic IBTC Bank has rewarded another 70 winners in its ongoing ‘Reward4Saving promo’. With this, the bank has rewarded over 1,600 customers with N262 million in less than three years since the promo commenced. According to the bank, the initiative was aimed at fostering savings culture among Nigerians by recognising and rewarding individuals who commit to building and maintaining consistent saving habits.

As a testament to the credibility of the promo too, it was rated the “Most Transparent Consumer

“Our approach aims to democratize access to private aviation, ensuring that more leaders and Promotion” for two consecutive years in the Industry Awards. The 70 winners were rewarded N100, 000 each during the April draw, while more winners would be rewarded with same amount until August 2024.

Head of Voice Branch at the bank, Biola Adekoya, explained that seven lucky customers would receive N1 million each in quarterly draws and another seven to get N2 million Adekoya also expressed optimism about the ongoing promo, sharing inspiring stories of previous winners.

Sanni

FX Regulation and Manipulation: Threat, Opportunity to Nigerian Economic Stability

The monetary authority is saddled with the responsibility of preserving the external reserve to safeguard the international value of the nation’s legal tender currency and ensure price stability. This task makes the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) responsible for reserve management and exchange rate stability, as enshrined in the CBN Act, 2027. Intriguingly, Nigeria has the highest foreign reserve in Africa, after Algeria and South Africa, but its currency is ranked 27th in Africa. Though, other economic variables may explain otherwise, but the ability to intervene in the market is usually the function of FX availability.

Last year, in August, JP Morgan Chase the custodian of the nation’s foreign reserve raised a question as to whether the country has up to $33.12 billion, considering securities lending ($5.5 billion), foreign currency forwards ($6.84 billion), and currency swaps ($21.3 billion) contracts.

The private entity concluded that the foreign reserve had fallen to a net balance of $3.7 billion at the end of 2022, which CBN refuted as “presented out of context.”

In addition to the above, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) In February 2024, predicted a decline in the Nigerian foreign reserve to $24 billion in the current year. While on April 15, 2024, the reserve declined to $32.29 billion, losing about $2.16 billion within a month.

The recent policy changes and unstable exchange rates underscore the need to delineate Naira stability beyond the traditional monetary tools and fiscal methodologies. To make meaningful progress in the present quagmire, it’s essential to accurately identify the primary sources of FX like capital importation, export proceeds, interbank sales, domiciliary accounts, and foreign remittances.

The sources are crucial to any economy, but in the Nigerian context, all are either partially or entirely encumbered. They became less relevant over time due to the evolving patterns and advancement in digital technology, coupled with globalization and trade liberalisation.

Consequently, the CBN has limited control over the flow and direction of these sources. Focusing on oil export proceed — the primary source of foreign exchange in Nigeria accounting for about 90 per cent of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings — is now entangled in multiple oil forwards and swaps contracts. Such contracts had mortgaged the future of our country, as massive amounts of oil are sold in advance.

While we give up on the proceeds of crude oil sales as we lack control over what our predecessor accomplished. The simple reason is that these contacts are so interwoven and crafted with international firms’ involvement, within a legal sphere that no power can stop.

For instance, the $3.3 billion oil-for-cash contract secured by NNPC Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on August 16, 2023, involved Afrexmbank and Project Gazelle Funding Limited, a company incorporated in Bahamas.

According to TheCable, NNPC is required to prepay future royalties and taxes to the federal government whereas the country pledged to repay the loan with 164.25 million barrels of crude oil (90,000 barrels per day). Another way to understand the impact and complexities of the oil contracts in Nigeria was when Dangote planned to import two million barrels from Trafigura Group for his 650,000-per-day capacity

refinery.

To delve further into the matter, the effort of CBN to receive oil proceeds directly into the federation coffer was in vain, despite the struggle of two embattled consecutive CBN Governors.

Capital importation, whether in the form of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) or Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI), is contentious in the Nigerian case. Nigeria persistently seeks FDI in many official tours. However, whatever comes as FDI is utilised by the foreign company to import machinery, raw materials, and consumables to run the project locally, leaving only a meagre sum for operating costs in Nigeria. Meanwhile, repatriation of profit is never done entirely through official windows. Thus, most FDIs’ activities support the parallel market which consequently affect Naira stability while the companies operating in free trade zones are exempted from many FX regulations.

Conversely, FPI in Nigeria is subject to significant manipulation as banks, securities and investment firms, and treasurers have learned to exploit the arbitrage that exist in the market. As FPI arrives, a well-planned scheme is put in place to repatriate dividends, interest incomes, and matured initial investments, using the capital importation certificate as a shield. While inflow from foreign donors (e.g., WHO, USAID, UNICEF) has long been controlled by agents who intercept the funds and settle their counterparts in Naira.

On another front, foreign remittances are no longer a stable source for Nigeria because the FX market is so liberalized that even a local farmer is aware of the dollar’s fluctuation, let alone Nigerians overseas. Thus, it’s self-deceptive to consider foreign remittances as part of FX sources needed for market liquidity, particularly in the face

of ever-increasing activities of International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs) and FX operators in the present digital world.

These fintech firms provide more accurate and transparent FX rates with comprehensive market information as their market reflects real demand across board. Owing to their service flexibility and instant intermediation, they are now more preferred than MoneyGram and Western Union.

Diaspora remittances of Nigerians amounted to approximately $20.13 billion in 2023, and 90 per cent of the funds did not reach the country due to truncation by these IMTOs and other Fintech firms. Local operators and BDCs pursued by the law enforcement agencies play a minor role of intermediation in the market. The real players providing Naira settlement will remain unseen, despite the damage they inflict on the country.

Even as security agencies target Binance executives, IMTO executives are merely advised to “mute their mics.” This raised suspicions about the sincerity and real intentions of the entire business of Naira stability. While I choose to remain silent on Interbank and domiciliary account purchases, the authority still needs to understand how FX transactions are matched by the authorised dealers.

In a nutshell, the complex activities in the FX market could not be managed effectively with traditional monetary tools at the Bank’s disposal. The physical law enforcement intervention to deter participants in the parallel market is limited to what is visible. The clampdown on Binance executives, just like Aboki FX, did not yield much results because of the failures to understand what the platform entails. As a trading platform, it brings together buyers and sellers of cryptocurrencies and stable coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, and USDC thus, assisting in settling transactions in whichever direction they flow. In simple terms, Binance as a platform does not transfer FX sourced from the Nigerian FX market to foreign countries. Therefore, in real terms, what Binance executives and street BDC operators do to the economy is an effect, not a cause. Expert reports on cryptocurrency transactions in Nigeria show that the $26 billion Binance transaction escalated by CBN was just a tip of the iceberg compared to the estimated $500 billion peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency trading undertaken by Nigeria mainly through WhatsApp, Telegram, phone calls, joints, and other business gatherings.

CBN as a regulator in the FX market and the custodian of foreign reserves, the monetary authority can only play a vital role in stabilizing FX with adequate FX resources and full control over the players in the market. The two fundamentals had changed rigorously with the massive corruption, money laundry and advancement in financial technology. In brief, the depletion of the foreign reserve was caused by changing patterns of international trade, institutional changes in the economy, and structural shifts in production.

Therefore, the best step requires taking the bull by its horns and holding the real perpetrators accountable. This involves backward identification of the sources of Naira sold for FX. These steps would unveil the power beneath the veils, ranging from bank executives, IMTOs promoters, state governors, senators, large contractors, oil magnates (beneficiaries of SWAP and forwards contracts), heads of MDAs, and their appointed proxies. For meaningful results, the investigations should cover current and former officeholders. While in the interim, the same placard should be given to these perpetrators to hold at the EFCC level to demonstrate fairness and commitment on the part of the government.

Evaluation of Pension Administration in Nigeria: Critical Issues, Challenges

Conceptually, pensions are defined as the remuneration due to a retired civil, public (servant) or cooperate individual employ- ees after meritorious services to his/her employers over a defined period. While in the services of an organisation (private or public) an employee is entitled to salaries as agreed in the employ- ment contract and duly communicated. This and associated benefits constitute his income from employment. Upon retirement, he no longer earns such salaries. What becomes his income is now pensions payable monthly. Initially the burden of pensions payment is upon his former employer as provided by law (Employee Compensation Act).

However due to inherent limitations and poor administration of pensions resulting to avoidable delays and to a reasonable extent; none payments, accumulated backlog, frustrations and associated pains on the pensioners (beneficiaries), there was need for a review. This resulted to the current pensions act which gave rise to the emergence of current

Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs). PFAs are government appointed/ approved companies engaged in pensions fund administration.

While in service, the employee contributes eight per cent and his employer contributes ten per cent of the employee’s monthly income to the pension fund. The employee’s contribution goes to the dedicated fund managed by his choice PFA while the employer also transfers same to the PFA.

The accumulated contribution is used to pay pensions over a period to the pensioner upon retirement. This payment arrangement could be under Annuity or programmed withdrawal as the pensioner may agree to.

The act further provides that the pensioner is given a bulk payment of at least 25 per cent% of his accumulated contribution while the balance is spread for monthly pensions payment to the pensioner.

CRITICAL ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

interested in profit maximisation at the detriment of the welfare of the pensioners.

signing PFA agreements which they least understand, hence regret same after entering into such unexplained agreements.

investments by a pensioner and the pensioner deserves to access same as at when needed to solve maturing personal obligations.

whose maintenance and medical bills are huge, hence the need to remove all restrictions affecting their access to accumulated savings in their PFA accounts.

agreed and meager;

rate changes especially on an inflationary economic situation like the Nigerian experience.

made, Pensioners only receive what is given by the PFAs without any choice. Who do you complain to?

the pensioner ceases immediately after taking in the pensioner’s accumulated

contributions, the pensioner is henceforth ‘on his own’.

difficulties and unable to access his accumulated savings domiciled in the PFA account and sometimes dies while the PFA smiles to the bank consistently with huge interest income earned from the pensioners funds.

CRITICAL QUESTIONS

1.In whose interest is the current Pensions act as practiced by our PFAs?

2. Must PFAs hold individual accumulated contributions compulsorily?

3.Why not make such dynamics voluntary so that the pensioner can exercise his natural right of managing his contributions/ savings?

4. Such contributions/ savings are the sole efforts of the pensioners while in employment, why now placing unsolicited restrictions/ limitations to access his accumulated funds to solve pressing personal needs.

Nasiru Aminu Ahmad

Cardoso

Frank Amagwu

Umo Eno: New Face of Nigerian Politics

Michael Effiong

Nigeria’s political landscape is witnessing a significant shift. Indeed, there is something unique and exceptional happening in Akwa Ibom State, and it is time for the entire nation to rise, applaud, and emulate Governor Umo Bassey Eno.

In just barely one year in office, Governor Eno is carving a niche for himself with his leadership and governance stye, which are rooted in the values of unity, empathy, humility, integrity, and prudence. Many now refer to him as the new face of Nigerian politics.

For those following Governor Eno’s activities, this moniker is not mere flattery. In words and actions, he has demonstrated traits that are rare in our political space. Even those traits hitherto exhibited by others, he is taking these traits to a new level. He is the true epitome of politics without bitterness.

Many politicians claim to operate an open-door policy and make decisions without political bias, but their actions often tell a different story. In his inauguration speech, Governor Eno stated, “Elections are over, and our kindred spirit must be renewed and deepened. We are all Akwa Ibomites first before politics. Politics must not separate or sever the ties of our brotherhood, common heritage, and aspirations. I pledge to be Governor for all, irrespective of political persuasions.”

Governor Eno understood from the start that no party has a monopoly of knowledge and that reducing the political temperature in the state would help him succeed. A toxic atmosphere stunts growth, no matter how good or intelligent a person is.

As a “Talk and Do” leader, he has extended his hand of friendship across party lines more than any other contemporary Nigerian politician. This is exemplified by his decision to fly to Abuja to congratulate former governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio just hours after he was elected as President of the Nigerian Senate.

This action drew mixed reactions in the state. Some political leaders in Umo Eno’s PDP were unhappy, feeling the move was uncharitable to his supporters after a bitter and divisive election season. However, as a thoughtful, earnest, decent, dignified, farsighted, and focused leader, Governor Eno knew that, as a pastor, there is no substitute for Unity and Faith. Even the Nigerian coat of arms shows that what usually follows are Peace and Progress. This move has become his guiding principle, he has embraced All Progressives Congress (APC) members who received federal appointments and opened his heart to leaders from other parties. It is no wonder Nigeria’s Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt Hon. Victor Ekperikpe Ekpo described him as a blessing and vessel of peace. According to the Minister, “As a Pastor, you have not disappointed the pulpit; as a politician, you have not disappointed us. As Governor, you’re the champion of unity in Akwa Ibom State. You are a unifier.”

Despite rumours that this open-arms and fatherly gesture may precede a crossover to APC, Governor Eno affirms that

his rapprochement with APC political appointees and working closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu makes good business sense, as it would yield fruits and democratic dividends for the state and its people. Collaboration and cooperation trump confrontation any day for the astute entrepreneur.

The dividends of this relative peace are now evident as he is making giant strides in agri-business, rural development, infrastructural renewal, education and more, without traducing his predecessors. In rural development and road construction, the governor has continued projects started by the last administration and initiated his own in all 31 local government areas. Statistics show that over 280 kilometers of road are ongoing, with some completed and commissioned before his first anniversary. Because of the quantum of projects, some now call him “Mr. Projects Pro Max.”

A few of the road projects brought to fore his responsive and empathetic leadership style. Take for example the 1.3 kilometers underground concrete flood control and reconstruction of a section of Atiku Abubakar Way, Uyo, complete with walkway, drainage, and solar street lights. After receiving a tip about the road’s flood-ravaged state from a concerned citizen, he verified it personally and awarded a contract for its immediate reconstruction to prevent a recurrence by the next rainy season. The road has since been completed and was commissioned by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Governor Eno’s empathy shines through his actions. Moved by the inflation biting the land, he established the Akwa Ibom Bulk Purchase Agency through which a Food Voucher scheme was launched. Beneficiaries selected from the updated National Social Register now receive 5kg bags of rice, beans, and garri. Emphasizing that the food voucher programme is a stopgap, he has begun an aggressive “Back to Farm” programme, where the state is supporting farmers

and requiring political leaders to engage in agri-business. To show his seriousness, he is setting up his own farm too while declaring every first and third Friday of the month as work-free days to enable civil servants embrace farming. Of course, one cannot forget his partnership with Songhai Farms. A Model Farm is already sprouting in Nsit Ubium LGA. Governor Eno consistently states that his mantra is building from the bottom up and touching the poorest of the poor.

Another evidence of this is the ARISE Shelter Initiative, fondly called ARISE Homes. In the first phase, 100 poor people across the 31 LGAs will be gifted brand-new 2-bedroom houses. His model Primary Health Centre projects are a lullaby to rural dwellers. These centres have consulting rooms, a theatre, doctors, nurses, matrons and quarters, a laboratory, ICT and records unit, a modern kitchen, solar-powered electricity, a standby generator, and 214 medical equipment and consumables. To ensure proper staffing, 200 more health workers are to be recruited.

Furthermore, he initiated medical outreach programmes in the three senatorial districts which reached thousands, with hundreds of surgeries and treatments performed on-the-spot.

Ensuring peace is also the motivation for building goodwill with organized labour, apart from many perks for workers, he has released over N18billion for gratuities, leave grants and pensions.

People living with disabilities have not been left out, with a N100 million facility for students and grants of N250,000 per undergraduate and N300,000 for postgraduate students.

Understanding his own grass-to-grace story, Governor Eno genuinely cares about helping people earn a decent living. This mindset led to the establishment of the Ibom Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development Centre. Through its Entrepreneurship Accelerator Programme (EAP), the government has trained 800 budding entrepreneurs and given them N400 million in grants. His plan is to train 5,000 entrepreneurs before the end of his tenure, with N2.5 billion in grants. The economic effects of this will no doubt be massive.

In addition, he has completed the state-of-the-art Dakkada Skills Acquisition Centers (DASAC), reputed to be the firstof-its-kind in Nigeria.This facility which now has a governing council will train people in various skills in agri-business, woodwork, plumbing, ICT, Tailoring etc.

Governor Eno wants to equip youths with resources to make their own money and employ others, rather than wait for handouts.

In just one year, Akwa Ibom is really rising. As a matter of fact, Governor Umo Eno has shown competence, capacity, and character.

He has pursued his economic blueprint, the ARISE Agenda, with such gusto without borrowing a single kobo. So, describing him as the new face of Nigerian politics is not enough, we should also call him “Mr. Performer.”

Effiong, a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Eno writes from Lagos

Tinubu on ECOWAS Rostrum

Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will soon be one year in office as the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the regional body comprising Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.

As the multilateral institution closest to Nigeria, and to which the country is a formidable member for many reasons, Nigerians tend to be quite interested in developments within the community, and West Africans have come to expect more whenever this regional body is headed by a Nigerian.

Looking back to its founding in 1975, a number of Nigerian leaders have at various times been called upon to chart the same course as President Tinubu, leading the community through calm and turbulent times. Each of these leaders had left behind formidable records of their efforts to cement the unity of member states and advance the economic progress of the community.

When Tinubu joined this club of leaders of member countries of ECOWAS at their 63rd Ordinary Session in Bissau, capital of Guinea Bissau in early July 2023 to present himself as the leader of the sub-regional body, it marked his first step on the African continental platform.

When the leaders chose him to lead the bloc at the union’s 48th anniversary, it was a massive vote of confidence in the new president who was inaugurated less than two

months earlier. As he took over from the host country’s President Umaro Embalo, Tinubu effectively mounted the rostrum and placed himself on a pedestal, assuming the proverbial head that wears the crown. Once again, I am reminded of President Tinubu’s theory on the mechanics of leadership.

In the Guardian newspaper of Nigeria issue of Friday, March 29, 2024, he reportedly said: “In politics you can’t be a spectator and hope to succeed. It is like a football game. In the course of playing, you sustain injuries and have bruises. You nurse your injuries and bruises and continue to play. That’s the only way you can win.”

So, there is no doubt that when Tinubu saw himself in the West African pitch he was upbeat, eager to introduce new approaches to doing things. He was immediately concerned with the threat to peace in West Africa and the menace of totalitarian regimes. “We must stand firm on democracy.... We will not allow coup after coup in West Africa,” he said.

Apparently, as a dye in the wool democrat, he understood instinctively that the struggle for political stability in individual nations is inherently proportional to the level of cooperation and regional integration that ECOWAS can hope to achieve. He was a leader spreading the same message of renewed hope and progress that he preached throughout the length and breadth of Nigeria in the period leading to the February 2023 elections.

President Tinubu has since proved how steadfast he was on the necessity for peace, security and well-being of all the member countries and their peoples.

If the ECOWAS Chairman was infuriated with the coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger that dislodged President Mohamed Bazoum

on 26th July, 2024, it was because he had a natural abhorrence for military regimes, and because the ECOWAS leader had earlier warned against such acts of brinkmanship by military and civilian adventurists. It was also because like every right thinking democrat, it was the last thing to expect from Niger, Nigeria’s closest neighbour to the north, which shares common interests and even common ancestry with many northerners.

So, between the ECOWAS leaders’ first Extraordinary Summit in Abuja on 30th July, 2023 and the second of 10th August, 2023, the anger over the defiant posture by the military authorities in Niger led by General Abdourahmane Tchiani rose astronomically. What followed was a number of heated debates over sovereignty, the correct way to take over power in a civilized society, the merits of democracy over militarism the unintended sufferings of innocent citizens across the two borders as a result of the sanctions, and soon after, the ill-advised decision of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso to withdraw their membership of the regional institution.

According to the ECOWAS leader, the mandatory sanctions on Niger, the one-week ultimatum for restoration of constitutional order and the threat to raise a standby force may be tough resolutions but it was within the rights of the member states to take them, and they attested to the “power of collaboration and unity among member states” especially as “all diplomatic efforts were … rejected (by the junta) at various intervals.” However, to the relief of many, especially the suffering people of Niger republic, Chairperson Tinubu in the Extraordinary Summit in Abuja on February 2024 held to discuss Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger’s purported

withdrawal from the regional group, demonstrated high leadership acumen by rescinding the debilitating sanctions. He told his colleagues that they “must re-examine our current approach to our quest for constitutional order in four (Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and Niger) of our member states,” as the situation in the sub region “demand difficult but courageous decisions” that required them to put the plight of the people at the centre of their deliberations. Thus began the healing process that has since lowered the political temperature of the region. As Tinubu noted, “Democracy is nothing more than the political framework and the path to addressing the basic needs and aspirations of the people.”

Okondo is former deputy director News, NTA Headquarters

Emma Okondu

Tinubu

Gov. Eno

X-raying Otti’s Innovative, Economic Development Strategies

The global community is currently enmeshed in a crisis of very monumental proportions viz depressed economies, spiraling inflation, energy crisis and long drawn wars. The third world economies seem to be the hardest hit in this imbroglio. Nigeria is amongst the third world countries that fares worst in this unsavoury scenario. The chickens have indeed come home to roost in Nigeria. Years of mismanagement of the economy, corruption, insecurity, infrastructural decay has substantially reduced the quality of living in the county. The regions and states however post different development indices.

In the past, prior to May 29th 2023 when Dr. Alex Otti was inaugurated as the executive governor of the state, Abia used to be one of the states that occupied the lower rung of the Ladder in all development indices,

The state was the laughing stock and object of jokes and mockery among people on account of its poor development indices.

However, within one year, the development affairs of the state has been turned around to such an extent that it is now reckoned as one of the fastest developing states in Nigeria.

The situation is such that the citizenry in the state now looks ahead with increasing confidence and hope that things will be better.

Evidence of the renewal abound in all nooks and crannies of the state. From the clean streets, to the new roads that are springing up every day due to the numerous construction activities going on here and there. It could also be deciphered from the quality and efficient service delivery system of the various ministries and parastatals, performed by a wellmotivated staff who now have reason to attend work due to a stability in the public-sector wage bill. It could also be gleaned from the numerous prospective investors now flock into the state in their large numbers as they increasingly discover it to be an investor friendly state. It could still be attributed to the highly reduced crime rate due to the efficient crime fighting mechanism that is in place. The examples are indeed legion

Such quick transformation of the Abia socio economic landscape has been labelled by many informed watchers of the Abia scenario as the “Abia Miracle ‘

The Abia miracle has been made possible by the peculiar innovative development strategy that has been deployed by the brilliant economist and ex-banking wizard, Otti,who was inaugurated into office on May 29th 2023 as the Abia State Chief Servant.

The Economic Development Strategy that is working in Abia clearly dispels Prof Claude Ake’s thematical assumptions in his book ‘The Political Economy of Africa” that “Africa clearly lacked a development Agenda.”

The single-minded commitment of the Governor to a well-articulated development agenda has suddenly caught the attention of both the Nigerian public and the global community.

The achievement of “an Abia miracle” within one year of Dr. Alex Otti’s four-year tenue clearly requires a more in-depth analysis in order to understand the factors that enabled the achievement of such a record which is clearly quite unprecedented in the annals of contemporary history of most states in Nigeria.

A related question could be posed as regards the essential ingredients of this innovative economic development paradigm that is working in Abia State.

In fact, it is good to state that the current “Abia miracle is not an ordinary happenstance as glimpses of the strategy were clearly out-lined in the 42-page Manifesto Document which Dr. Alex Otti authored himself.

All the essential characters of the present development

strategy being currently Implemented in the state, were wellarticulated in that manifesto document.

The next essential character of the Strategy was the opera ionisation of the manifesto document as an instrument of public policy action, through the setting up of 101-member Transition Council that was made up of very brilliant minds drawn from diverse backgrounds. It was these eggheads that expanded and translated the Dr. Alex Otti’s 42-page manifesto document into a workable instrument for public policy action.

The political will to walk the talk

One very unique attribute of the innovative development strategy being championed by Gov. Alex Otti is its ability to muster the necessary level of political will to implement hard decisions which examples include:

The constitution of a smart government whose members are drawn from top professionals in diverse fields, the war on filth, the setting of greater Aba Development Authority, the Abia Industrial and Innovative Park .Others include the setting up of a Panel on the Recovery of the Looted Assets of the State Government, the messianic quest for self-reliance in economic matters through the patronage of locally manufactured products like vehicles from Innoson motors, the aggressive road rehabilitation efforts , the setting up of Operation Crush to deal with crime, the aggressive rehabilitation of health institutions in the state and stability in public wage bill etc.

Leadership by example

Another very important character of the novel strategy is the leadership by example that has so far been demonstrated by Governor Alex Otti himself. Governor Otti leads from the front not the rear. Such exemplary conducts include living a life of integrity and hard-work. Governor Otti and his disciples demonstrate and continue to demonstrate exemplary high level of integrity, discipline and hard work in public office. Otti and his team walk their talks and obey extant rules and regulations guiding public service.

A life of integrity in public office seems to be the overriding philosophical foundation guiding all other public policy pronouncements and actions.

A practical demonstration of this could be seen in an abiding fidelity of the government to the payment of public sector workers and Pensioners on the 28th day of every month as promised them during the campaign period.

Such integrity has, no doubts, engendered public trust on the government as well as the confidence among investors and development partners who now view the state from a positive point.

Reorganisation and strengthening of the due process office

Another essential character of the new development strategy has been the re-organization and strengthening of the due process office in the state. This has been done in order to achieve due process in public procurement which is fundamentally aimed at instituting a framework that embodies transparency, openness and economic prudence devoid of nepotism and corruption in the state public procurement process.

The commitment to due process in public procurement has resulted into running a system that is not only more transparent and highly productive but has ensured that government resources are judiciously utilized in the best interest of the public.

Empathy towards the weak and the op- pressed

The new economic development strategy that is being championed by Dr Alex Otti has a lot of sympathy towards the weak and the oppressed. It is a radical new model that is clearly pro-masses.

Such pro-people’s philosophical assumptions gave rise to the prompt payment of public sector workers, the settlement of arrears of salaries owed the pensioners, the various empowerment programs, the free health care programs and various other valuable programs in the health sector, the various education programs etc.

Resetting MDAs for Efficient Service De- livery

One of the most fundamental principles embodied in the innovative and practical strategy that Gov. Otti employs has been a fundamental restructuring of the Ministries and Parastatals of the State Government which has Seen them perform optimally. Again, such restructuring has been imbued with the values of hard work, integrity, discipline, openness and transparency. Added to this has been the war against ghost workers, laziness, absenteeism and general indiscipline that was the dominant feature of pre-May 29th ,2024, Abia MDAs.

The above fundamental values were simultaneously bequeathed to the MDAs as they underwent some fundamental physical restructuring.

The physical restructuring exercises were of two kinds.

The first was the merging of Ministries and some Agencies that has led to the optimal performance of the MDAs.

For instance, the ministry of lands and Housing being now operated as one ministry has helped to improved the service delivery capacity of the Ministry. Same is true also of the Ministry of Trade and investment, Digital Economy, Sports and Youth Development, Ministry of Power etc.

Apart from the integration of the MDA for optimal performance, there has also been the internal restructuring of the MDAs in such manners that enables them to execute projects through the direct labour mechanism .Such Ministries as Works, Land and Housing, Power and the Environment have developed highly efficient Direct Labour Mechanisms which has enabled them to deliver quality projects and services at a very fast pace as well as at very cheap costs to the government.

Restoration of the Merit Principle In Public Service Recruitment

One of the major components of the Innovative Strategy being employed by the Otti’s Administration is a strong emphasis on the merit principle in recruitments into the public service.

Can Benefits of Weaker Naira Be Sustained Amid Export Spike?

Nigeria’s leading manufacturers experienced significant boost in export sales in the first quarter of 2024, largely due to the depreciation of the naira. According to a recent BusinessDay report, financial reports from major companies like Unilever Nigeria Plc, Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Plc, and Dangote Cement Plc indicated that their combined export revenue surged by 201.1 percent to N387.2 billion, marking the highest increase in almost a decade.

This is a notable rise from N128.6 billion in the same period of 2023. The devaluation of the naira indeed created opportunities, but it also brings challenges, illustrating a complex picture for manufacturing exporters.

One of the advantages of a weaker currency is export competitiveness. The view that devaluing a currency can make a country’s goods cheaper relative to those from other countries, thereby increasing their attractiveness in international markets, might be true.

This is evident in the substantial growth in exports reported by Nigerian manufacturers. For example, Nestlé’s export revenue skyrocketed by 275 percent, indicating how the devaluation has made their products more competitive abroad.

Another significant benefit is the ability to earn more from exports, which can be used to obtain the foreign exchange necessary for production. This has been a crucial development for manufacturers who rely on importing raw materials and other inputs. However, it is worthy to note that the devaluation was not a deliberate policy to boost exports and that increased export volumes were naturally unintended consequences of the policy.

It has led to regional trade opportunities. The devaluation has also made Nigerian goods more affordable in neighboring West African countries, where the West Africa CFA franc has appreciated against the naira. This has provided a unique opportunity for Nigerian manufacturers to expand their market presence regionally. Companies like Dangote Cement have capitalised on this, dispatching numerous shipments to Ghana

and Cameroon, which contributed to their impressive export growth.

Despite the benefits, there are challenges posed by weaker naira. One of such is the rising production costs. The depreciation of the naira has led to increased production costs for manufacturers. Many raw materials and inputs are imported, and with the naira losing value, these imports become more expensive. While exporters benefit from earning more naira, the overall cost of production has escalated, putting pressure on their profitability.

Moreover, not all manufacturers can equally benefit from the devaluation. Only a few manufacturers who can export have seen significant gains. For many others, especially those heavily reliant on imported raw materials, the devaluation has resulted in severe financial strain. This is made worse by the high import duty, as FX is now close to N1,500 per dollar on the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) platform. This has added to their woes, reducing their competitiveness both domestically and internationally. Some argue that the weaker naira can help diversify Nigeria’s export base beyond oil,

promoting industrial growth. However, the increase in export revenue primarily benefits large, well-established companies with the capacity to navigate the complexities of international trade. Smaller manufacturers, lacking the same resources, might struggle to achieve similar gains.

Also, the devaluation has increased exports contributing to a positive trade balance, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in her 2023 trade report. However, the broader economic implications of a weaker currency cannot be ignored. Persistent depreciation can lead to economic instability, discouraging foreign investment and leading to higher borrowing costs for the government and businesses.

The surge in exports of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) illustrates how devaluation can enhance comparative advantage. For instance, Nigerian-produced goods have become more competitive in West African markets, leading to increased cross-border trade. However, similar scenarios in other countries show mixed results. In countries like Argentina and Venezuela, currency devaluation initially boosted exports but eventually led to hyperinflation and economic turmoil, underscoring the delicate balance required.

Mudiaga Aluya

Otti

POLITY

NNPCL: Cushioning Impact of Fuel Subsidy Removal with CNG Projects

feanyi Onuba

Exactly one year ago, President Bola Tinubu while speaking during his inauguration speech as Nigeria’s 16th President announced the removal of fuel subsidy.

“Fuel subsidy is gone,” the president had declared. The declaration by the president led to an increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol from N197 to N617 per litre.

Few days after the proclamation by the president, the government kick-started the plans that were projected in different phases of execution, which were meant to cushion the effect of the removal, and also see to the uninterrupted availability and accessibility of fuel all around the country.

At the centre of the execution of that plan is the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). The President had also set up the Presidential CNG Initiative (PI-CNG), a secretariat to drive the implementation of CNG across Nigeria as a cleaner alternative fuel to PMS.

Since the announcement of subsidy removal, the NNPCL has doubled its efforts to drive energy security by utilising Nigeria’s abundant gas resources.

The company has delivered numerous gas projects that would drive CNG gas penetration across the country.

Last year, the NNPCL entered a partnership with NIPCO to set up 35 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations in Lagos and other parts of the country.

During the partnership, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL, Mele Kyari had said the partnership is “Part of the NNPCL commitment to reducing carbon footprint and providing cheaper alternative fuel to motorists.”

On May 19, 2024, the NNPCL and partners delivered three critical gas infrastructures commissioned by the President.

The projects were, the AHL Gas Processing Plant 2 (GPP – 2) – 200mmscf/d which is an expansion to the Kwale Gas Processing Plant (GPP – 1); the AHL Gas Plant, which is being developed by AHL Limited, an incorporated Joint Venture owned by NNPC Limited and SEEPCO and the ANOH-OB3 CTMS Gas Pipeline Project.

In furtherance of efforts to drive increased gas utilization in the country, the Federal Government on Thursday commissioned the 5.2 MMSCFD Compressed Natural Gas/Autogas Facility at Ilasamaja, Lagos, built through a partnership between the NNPC Limited and Transit Gas Nigeria Limited (TGNL).

Under the theme: “From Gas to Prosperity; CNG For All”, the NNPC CNG Station is a 5.2MMscf per day capacity station that can serve vehicles and also supply gas to industries and other companies.

The station is strategically located and it is expected to meet the fuelling needs of motorists, in line with the federal

government’s goal of nationwide adoption of CNG as the fuel of choice for transportation.

The Facility is 100 per cent energy sufficient due to the natural gas advantage and does not depend on the national grid for power. It will serve thousands of Natural Gas-powered vehicles in Lagos and its surroundings; while promoting a stable, cleaner energy for domestic utilization. It will also contribute significantly to annual carbon-dioxide emissions savings and support environmental sustainability.

The commissioning, which was performed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, had dignitaries in attendance such as the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari; Chief Executive of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Farouk Ahmed, represented by Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations and Transportation Infrastructure, Francis Ogaree; Commission Chief Executive of Nigerian Upstream Petrolatum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, represented by Regional Director, Lagos, Paul Osu, among others.

The host governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, jointly carried out the tape-cutting and unveiling on Thursday.

The minister said the launch of this initiative also underscores this administration’s commitment to fostering a cleaner environment by reducing carbon emissions and promoting energy security through the utilization of domestic natural gas

resources.

He said the inauguration of the project is a testament to the unwavering commitment of NNPC Ltd. and its partner, Transit Gas Nig Ltd., to support the federal government’s objectives of utilizing the country’s abundant gas resources to accelerate the nation’s economy and growth.

According to Ekpo, the commissioning of the flagship retail plant in Lagos marks a significant milestone in the nation’s journey towards achieving energy security, accessibility, and affordability in line with Mr. President’s “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

He said, “Our gathering here is testament to the unwavering commitment of NNPC Ltd. and its partner, Transit Gas Nig Ltd., to support the federal government’s objectives of utilizing our abundant gas resources to accelerate the nation’s economy and growth.

“Although the elimination of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) subsidy has brought difficulties, it has also given us a once-in-alifetime chance to invent and adopt more economical, efficient, and sustainable energy alternatives.”

Ekpo noted that the use of CNG as a transport fuel is a mature technology used globally, as it is the cleanest burning fuel in terms of Nitro-oxide and soot emissions.

“While it can be employed to power passenger cars and city buses, CNG passenger vehicles emit 5 to 10 per cent less carbondioxide than comparable gasoline-powered passenger vehicles,” the Minister added.

Earlier in his remarks, the GCEO NNPC Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari, said that to maintain energy security and provide more access to CNG by the Nigerian populace, NNPC has reached a Final Investment Decision (FID) with Axxela Limited to deliver six CNG mother and service station plants and stations of 5.2 mmscfd capacity each, in selected locations spread across the six geopolitical zones, including the FCT, to ease access to bulk CNG.

He stated that the move was in addition to NNPC Retail’s phased deployment of CNG in over 100 stations across the country as well as other Joint Venture partnerships on CNG.

In particular, Kyari revealed that the commissioning of the NNPC CNG Station in Ilasamaja, Lagos, was part of NNPC’s efforts to grow domestic gas supply and utilization by deploying gas infrastructure nationwide.

He said the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) explicitly mandated NNPC to promote domestic gas utilisation, thereby strengthening the company’s resolve to deploy critical gas infrastructure projects across the country.

“NNPC will continue to deliver more strategic projects for the benefit of our country. We shall utilise our gas resources for industrialisation, power generation and economic prosperity for all,” Kyari stated.

With CNG costing one-fifth the price of super gasoline, resulting in substantial savings in fuel costs, Sanwo-Olu said the government would embrace the intiative to drive down the costs of energy.

L-R: Partner/Co-founder, AO and FA Consulting, Mr Olawale Abiola; Factory Manager, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Flowergate Factory, Mr Isaac Elimbi; Chief Finance Officer, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN), Mr Edward Dunkwu; and Human Resource Manager, Nestle Nigeria by AO & FA Consulting in Sagamu, Ogun State recently

L

– R : Regional Director, Access Bank, Southeast, Charles Oguibe; Deputy Managing Director, Access Bank, Chizoma Okoli; Ex Nigerian beauty queen, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; and Regional Sales Director, Lagos, Access Bank, Yewande Shoneye-Vaughan, at the Access Bank Customers’ forum held in Enugu… yesterday

L-R: Permanent Secretary; Ministry of Agriculture; Lagos State; Mr. Emmanuel Fatai; Audu; Speaker/ CEO; So Fresh; Mr. Olagoke Balogun; Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture; Ms. Abisola Olusanya; -

Kyari

L-R; Country Director, Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), Ijeoma

Toyota Celebrates Nestle, Roxcon, Zenith Bank as Best Customers

L-R: Managing Director of Toyota (Nigeria) Limited, Mr. Kunle Ade-Ojo; Procurement Specialist/Sales & Marketing at Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Rebecca Otu; Chairman of TNL, Chief Michael Ade.Ojo; and Head, Dealer Development & Special Projects at TNL, Mr. Henry Ojuoko, at the presentation of Toyota Evergreen Customer of the year (2023) award to Nestle during the Toyota Awards/Customers Night in Lagos… recently

Notwithstanding the economic challenges

“We will continue to avail you of models

Abuja Light Rail Rolls With Free Ride Till End of Year

tenacity, he said, had changed the face of multiple units each, with a capacity to accom

Drive

Vehicles

Chery Tiggo 8 pro

The Abuja Rail Mass Transit

PDP Reps’ Illiteracy

DAILY Trust Front Page grammatical insurgency of March 31 welcomes us to the first edition of this month: “This was the fourth in the series of attack (attacks) by the deadly Boko Haram sect using women.”

“LASU senior staff bars (bar) preconvocation conference”

“The gale of impeachment has heightened into (to) an alarming proportion….”

“The impeachment moves (move) against Governor of (name withheld) of the APC (another comma) is now on the bill (cards).”

“Other impeachment plots under (in the) incubator”

“Fifty-five years of democracy in Nigeria have seen a litany of removal (removals) of governors.”

Still on Daily Trust under review: “Proprietress admonishes parents on children (children’s) performance”

“Airtel hits 300 million subscribers mark” Information Technology: 300million-subscriber-mark (Press releases should not be slammed as sent by companies unedited!)

“Inaccurate laboratory results also contribute to the spate of diagnosis (diagnoses) being recorded….”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of May 26 circulated gloomy lines beginning with this presidential perfunctory admonition: “Jonathan to Nigerians: Don’t despair over terrorists attacks” From me to you: either terrorist attacks or terrorists’ (note the apostrophe) attacks

“Besides, for miscreants seeking opportunity (an opportunity) to cause mayhem, that could lead to looting and

plundering of the properties (property) and investments of southerners in the North.” (THE NATION ON SUNDAY COMMENT, May 26) There is a consistently contextual misapplication of ‘properties’ in the media, especially by people who should know! Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary comes to the rescue in the following elucidation: PROPERTY (noun)— plural: properties.

1. (Uncountable): A thing or things that are owned by somebody, a possession or possessions. Examples: The building is government property. Be careful not to damage other people’s property. 2. (Uncountable) Land and buildings: The price of property has risen enormously. 3. (Countable): A building or buildings and the surrounding land. There are a lot of empty properties in the area. 4. (Countable, usually plural) (formal): A quality or characteristic that something has. Compare the physical properties of the two substances. A plant with medicinal properties. I have done this long extraction, for the first time, because of the frequent misuse of the plurality of ‘property’.

“…reports on the political battles currently being fought by….” What is the function of ‘currently’ here in the lexical magistracy of ‘being’?

Still on THE NATION ON SUNDAY: “The Nigerian (Nigeria) Union of Journalists last week celebrated the memorial of Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, a man whose contributions to the profession arguably (sic) transcends (transcended) that of any other Nigerian….” Except if the reporter was not sure of his declaration, I cannot fathom the contradictory relevance of ‘arguably’ here. Did the reporter intend to use ‘unarguably’, which is also grossly

abused in similar environments?

“You are a special friend and brother whose life has been an amazing influence to (on/over/upon) me.”

The following press statement issued by Akwa Ibom State PDP Caucus, House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja, is replete with kindergartener’s blunders: “We also call on you to declare your intention to run for a second term under (on) the platform of PDP.”

We, the undersigned (another comma) also this day do pass a vote of confidence on (in) our amiable State Governor (needless capitalization)...for taking Akwa Ibom State to an Olympian height developmentally, to the admiration of Nigeria (Nigerians) and the Diaspora (sic)” Long live Akwa Ibom State: Olympian heights (not height!).

“You have changed the aesthetics of our state which has robbed (rubbed) off positively on the people’s pride and we stand tall anywhere in this Country (functionless capitalization) today.”

“…the umbrella of uncommon transformation with life changing (life-changing) projects spread across every nook and crannies of the State (another useless capitalization).” Either every nook and cranny or all nooks and crannies

Lastly from Akwa Ibom PDP Legislative Caucus adoration, praise and worship of Senate President (Obong) Godswill Obot Akpabio (CON): “By this singular act, the spirit of fair play, equity and brotherliness has been entrenched into (in) Akwa Ibom State Politics (sic).” This scandalously pedestrian statement was signed by six honourable members of the House of Representatives (names withheld to forestall national and global

Okosuns, Rhodes: Massive Men Mired in May (2)

As I was saying… While preparing to write a tribute to mark the passage of the Ozziddism priest in those dying days of May, 2008, another great man of the arts, the venerable Steve Rhodes also took leave of us - just five days apart (29 May, 2008). Now that their 16th anniversaries are here again, the old conundrum rises...but I’ve persuaded myself that while leaders and pretenders run helter skelter in spinning the narratives to explain how much damage they have wreaked on a resilient and docile nation… some of us will go about the business of honouring the auspicious dead...!

THE END OF OZZIDDISM?

(January 1, 1947 - May 24, 2008)

“I used to prod Sonny Okosuns that all his professional life was programmed to be a consistent adversary to the other great African music genius, Fela Anikulapo Kuti (who died on August 2, also on a Saturday, about 11 years earlier). Irrespective of his protestation, or explanation for his position, I insisted that the fear of Fela was his elixir- the reason for the passion of his musical and public exertions.Well, I had my reasons. Anyway, the rolling years, patience, maturity, his consistency and unabated passion revealed to me that he probably needed to prove to Nigerians, and indeed the entire world, that you could be the greatest African musical talent without succumbing to irreverence, illegality, agnosticism or rootless ribaldry. To contextualize my proposition, I spread a blanket of inferences…not necessarily in order of occurrence.

When Fela reigned in Kalakuta Republic, at Moshalashi, near Idi-Oro and later, Ikeja; Okosuns threw Ozziddi Palace open to potential delinquents, grooming them out of anti-social tendencies… out of dependency on drugs and vices, with personal and financial sacrifices... to become useful to themselves and their society.

WhenFela,theultimateAfricanbig-man,dropped out of monogamy, to transform 27 of his singers and dancers into ‘wives’; Okosuns stuck to Nkechi (even in spite of pressures from his own family to expand his sexual consequence). Of course, the

parents later won, and some issues erupted as is common with most musicians’ doomed struggle to keep their loins from the laps of more than one woman (but that is another story).

When Fela opened his shrine and African traditional spiritism to the world, Okosuns not only dug deeper into his Bible Studies, he later launched a bible-believing church, House of Prayer, in his expansive Lagos home.

When Fela scorned world leaders, lambasting them for foot-dragging on reparations for their heinous exploitation of black Africa, but flirted with revolutionaries and opposition comrades; Okosuns pumped hands with potentates of the free world; and to those with listening ears, he sang his heart out with caressing lyrics appealing for the liberation of the African downtrodden.

Yet, unlike Fela, Okosuns’ music (a miasma of highlife, reggae and folk) was not easy for the succeeding artistes to pick up. Or so it appeared, until he died. It seemed like a personal brand of music chiselled as liberation rhythms. He was indeed a tough act to follow, or copy… if it were not so, devotees would have crept out of the hinterland when he veered into Christian music. Of course, that period in Okosuns’ musicography coincided with when Fela, his alter ego, left or was fading off the scene. It would appear Okosuns had no impetus to project the liberation-turnedsalutation rhythms anymore…he delved rather into salvation songs with instant success.

His hit LP, Songs of Praise caught the Church of Nigeria panting with confused exhilaration. Reggae - a hitherto heathen music to Christians - became a grudging acceptable rhythmic vehicle running on the fuel of Okosuns’ sudden intervention. Progressively, music took less and less of his creative cornucopia… politics (both secular and spiritual) took centre court… lyrical creativity suffered…and Okosuns gradually but valiantly succumbed to the rapid movement of Time and discomfort. He died with a lingering burden… with a merciless disease that had no regard for his simple and kind heart. He died far away in a free country because his country was still held down by another type of slavery…his country was still hungry for another type of liberation. His last song was choked in his devastated lungs…

ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948

FEEDBACK

CLINTON was impeached by the lower house but the upper house did not follow suit. (08037058775) I dislike anonymous feedback.

I am surprised to learn (from one of the contributions) in your May 25 column that Bill Clinton was not impeached. Haba! The search machines, including Google, are there for all. ‘Impeachment’ (guilt established) and ‘removal’ are not the same, like ‘acquittal’ and ‘discharge’. Let us learn. Clinton was guilty. (Contributed by Kenneth Ugbechie)

THANK you for the good work you have been doing. I just want you to know that some of these blunders you correct as mistakes are indeed ignorance. Good examples are the ones involving the so-called Ph.D holders and our governors. Even those in my profession speak rubbish in courts. May God bless you! (08055217580) ‘My learned friend’, why write incognito? You are blessed, too. MONIES and moneys are both plurals of money. (08037026109) What is your name?

FROM the columnist: Please let responses come with real names—not pseudonyms. This is an interactive forum with identities for the exchange of robust ideas. Otherwise, do not bother to contribute. Readers and I are proud of the late Bayo Oguntunase and Kola Danisa and ever-bubbling Sunny Agbontaen, among other numerous respondents. You do not disguise in published cerebral matters because of intellectual rights—and access to reply, also.

he made his final cry for salvation…but we were too busy to hear…we were too helpless to care… we were too traumatized to sympathize…and the African Soldier died.”

STEVEN BANKOLE RHODES: THE ELDERLY MAVERICK (April 8, 1926 - May 29, 2008)

“Whichever mood you met Elder Steve Rhodes, you wouldn’t leave without a searing impression of a significant man of history, a profound archetype of what a wonderful place this country could have been.

Because of his reputation - a stickler for excellence, in all things; very organized in thoughts and deeds, and a perfectionist, even at his advanced age - I spent several months getting to know him, to understand his ethos.

For me, every interaction with an enigma excites and motivates me. I see challenges where the signboards say Danger!or Don’t!. Getting to know ESR (of course that means Elder Steve Rhodes) meant getting to know the Steve Rhodes voices. Now, I’m not referring to the award-winning choral ensemble, but the two integral parts - Gloria and Jeanette, ESR’s big daughters.

By 1993, I was ready.We had set out to organize the most definitive music award ceremony outside the grip of the core practitioners of the craft. We wrote to ESR, inviting him as the chairman of the award’s advisory committee, with powers to reign us in when we went overboard in any area of organisation. When ESR’s name was mooted in-house, the baleful consensus was that since he was at least two generations removed from the oldest one among us, he was going to teach us how to channel our infantile exertions to proper routes, and thus accord him a well-deserved distance from the murky waters of reward palaver.

Much as it seemed similar to the odyssey of the tortoise on its doomed (‘not until I’ve been disgraced’) visitation to its fabled in-laws…we sent in the letter of invitation. We didn’t have to wait long. Less than a week later, a quota-size (A5) grey-colouredESR-headednotearrived-accepting with unveiled humility to serve in the Advisory Board of Fame Music Awards…and enjoining

us to divert all efforts at not only promoting, but pursuing excellence in our activities! We flipped. We were stunned. And we convened a summit immediately to discuss the monumental spectacle. The rumbling conclusion was: would any of us at over 70 be willing to serve with contemporaries of one’s grandchild!!? We wondered. An amazing man, indeed.

In 1994, we had another itch: to produce the first all-inclusive movie award ceremony in Nigeria. Thus THEMA (The Movie Awards) was born. No bets in guessing who the guardian angel was. By then, ESR had become the Managing-Trustee of the famed Glover Memorial Hall on Lagos Island. With his status, his deliberate mentoring, we staged the first THEMA (1995) inside the moist entrails of cinematic history - perhaps the oldest cinema hall in the western part of Africa. Every time I saw him rubbing shoulders and minds with young Turks at entertainment ceremonies, fora and talk-shops. I marveled at the untiring passion of the grandmaster to fuse a spirit of excellence, commitment, devotion, diligence in the creative process… for posterity. ESR’s wry smile, as he made his mind known on any issue within his core competence, staggered the imagination and disarmed sensibilities…even if his words dripped with sarcasm or umbrage. You know as a matter of everyday fact that he meant exactly what he said - without fear or tear. With a boyish teasing smile, he knocked sense into you with the uncommon authority of a man who had seen it all; a man who could not, even if he wanted, surrender to the indulgence of suffering fools gladly.

Simple to distraction in public style, and blindingly adorable with his beatific smile, ESR had a larger-than-life capacity to motivate and agitate at once. Surely, he will continue to resonate with many generations after him. He is the quintessential ESR.

Wilfred Ndidi On Last Train with Foxes

Many would have put their money onWilfred Ndidi dumping Leicester City when the 2015/16 Premier League winner were relegated to the English Championship penultimate season.Against all odds however,the midfield enforcer stayed on and helped the Foxes return to the English top tier.The Super Eagle onWednesday was at the new Maracana Stadium,Ajegunle,Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government,Lagos State,where he opened a hostel, he built at the edifice.KunleAdewale caught up with him and he shared among other things,his future at the King Power Stadium,Nigeria’sWorld Cup qualifier encounter against SouthAfrica,his association with the Maracana Stadium amongst many other germane issues

With the European season just ended, it is natural that speculations would be rife on the future of some players and Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi is not an exception as his future with Leicester City is speculated to be coming to an end, especially with Serie A giants, Juventus, Lyon of France, Barcelona amongst some other clubs are said to be scrambling for the signature of the Nigerian. The former Nath Boys of Lagos player however admitted that some of these clubs have indeed contacted him but nothing concrete has been concluded.

“Yes, I have been contacted by some clubs but my family and I will have to look into which club and country is best for us and a decision would be made in the coming weeks. But for now I don’t know yet,” he said.

Asked whether it ever crossed his mind to dump the King Power Stadium when his team was relegated to the English Championship, the 27-year-old said, “I really felt bad when we were relegated but the thought of leaving Leicester City then didn’t occur to me because I love the team, they brought me to the Premier League, I have been there like for seven years, so, it was not my intention to leave then because I felt we can give the Championship a good shot at, and thank God things worked out well and we’re back in the Premier League after just one year.”

The former Genk FC of Belgium would however not forget life in the English second tier in a hurry.

“To be honest the Championship is hard. Very difficult. Having to play three games in two weeks at times. Play on weekends and weekdays, travelling up and down the country makes it very difficult. But it was a good experience because when you’re in the Premier League you don’t appreciate it. Relegation to the Championship was like an eye opener for us because we would never want to go down again. It was really, really difficult, “ he emphasised.

Meanwhile, Ndidi expressed his joy that what used to be shanties and dungeon had been turned to a big edifice in the form of the new Maracana Stadium.

“It’s really amazing what i’m witnessing here. In my days growing up and playing in the streets, we never witnessed anything close to this. I’m really happy to be here and see things have taken shape. To be honest it is unbelievable,” he said.

On his involvement and contributions to the uplifting of the edifice, he paid special tribute to the man who came up with the idea of building the new Maracana Stadium and indeed funded the building and transformation of the Maracana Stadium-Yemi Idowu.

“Special thanks to Yemi Idowu, who made me to understand the need for me to come in after explaining to me the project and I promised to get involved which culminated to the donation of a hostel building for the kids.

“The facility is going to go a long way in developing sports in Nigeria. Seeing the kids play football you could see the

joy in them. When we were growing we played on the roads and got injured but having a facility like this is a kind of encouragement to them as they see it as place where they can train and become future champions,” he pointed out.

Ndidi however is of the opinion that if players of his generation had facilities like Maracana Stadium to make use of, Nigerian football would have grown past what we’re presently witnessing.

“If we had something close to this during our days Nigerian football would have been amazing. We actually underate grassroots football in this part of the world. But when kids are nurtured at a very young age it gives them the confidence to believe in themselves to actually move forward because they’ve come to understand the structure at a very young age.

Meanwhile, ahead of Nigeria’s doubleheaded 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic, slated for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo and the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan respectively, Super Eagles stand-in Captain, Ndidi, has admitted that the three-time African champions are under pressure to win the games.

“To be honest I think the team is under pressure because we drew our first two games (against Lesotho and Zimbabwe) which now puts us in a difficult position. If we had gotten wins in both games we would have felt much more better going into the games against South Africa and Benin Republic.

“However, it’s football and the pressure that comes with it is actually exciting because we know what we have to do. We know the games are must-win. We just need to stay focused, put in our best and try to win the matches,” the Leicester City midfielder said.

The former Nath Boys of Lagos player indeed admitted that the Bafana Bafana are a very good side.

“They are very good team going by their performance at the last Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire. They gave us a tough fight and the winner had to be separated by penalty shootouts. But for me, the AFCON is past and we just need not look towards that direction again because their team then might be different entirely this time around. So, it all depends on us as a team and the way we want to approach the game,” he noted.

Ndidi is indeed counting on Finidi George to take the team very far.

“I think he’s doing well with the support from everyone. The previous two international friendly games the Super Eagles played against Ghana and Mali in Morocco were very difficult for him because he was alone. “There was no assistant, he did everything alone- the tactics and analysis. Now he has gotten more support and I look forward to working with him. We’ve worked together before, he is an amazing personality, his tactics are really interesting. Going forward, I think he’s going to do well for the team,” Ndidi concluded.

Ndidi flanked by the Chairman of Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Local Government, Fatai Ayoola while laying the foundation of a new structure at the Maracana Stadium

Wilfred Ndidi having fun with the kids at the Maracana Stadium, Ajegunle, Lagos

Borussia Dortmund Try Real Madrid for Size UCL FINAL

Continental supremacy is at stake at Wembley Stadium this evening, when underdogs, Borussia Dortmund and seasoned Champions League pros, Real Madrid square off in a 2023-24 final of titanic proportions. For the Bundesliga powerhouses donning black and yellow, victory would end 27 years of hurt and seal Champions League title number two, while Los Blancos endeavour to etch their name onto the European Champion Clubs’Cup for the 15th time

Borussia Dortmund were triumphant against Paris Saint-Germain in the final four to book their tickets to Wembley, while Carlo Ancelotti’s troops, Real Madrid denied their upcoming foes an all-German final against Bayern Munich thanks to a gripping second-leg turnaround.

Exorcising former Champions League demons under the Wembley arch is the goal for today’s unfancied unit, Borussia Dortmund, 11 years on from helplessly witnessing Arjen Robben’s scuffed shot trickle over the line for Bayern Munich in a 2012-13 Der Klassiker final in the English capital.

Departing club icon Marco Reus and rejuvenated centre-back Mats Hummels may be the only surviving members from that silver medal-winning troupe - the latter’s CV also includes an Allianz Arena stint sandwiched in between, but none of Edin Terzic’s first-time finalists will require a sermon on the significance of June 1.

Coming up trumps in the tantalising Group of Death with AC Milan, Paris SaintGermain and Newcastle United was a sign of things to come for Borussia Dortmund, who sent PSV Eindhoven packing without

ASSISTANT

breaking too much of a sweat before a minor blip in the first leg of their quarter-final versus Atletico Madrid.

Suffering their sole defeat of the 2023-24 tournament at the Wanda Metropolitano did not hinder Dortmund’s bid for European glory, though, as a phenomenal second-leg turnaround preceded a pair of exceptional 1-0 successes over perpetual bridesmaids PSG, shut out at both the Signal Iduna Park and Parc des Princes in early May.

Thanks to their own defensive discipline and the never-ending wastefulness of the Ligue 1 champions, BVB condemned PSG to another year of Champions League torture as the old-but-gold Hummels nodded in the solitary second-leg strike, thereby booking Dortmund a date with Champions League destiny for just the third time ever.

One-time European Cup champions back in the 1996-97 term, where Ottmar Hitzfeld masterminded a 3-1 triumph over Juventus in Munich, Dortmund have not been present in the showpiece event since falling to Bayern’s supremacy in London over a decade ago, and Real’s semi-final exploits means that a shot at Bavarian revenge did not materialise.

Even as Bayern lost their iron-clad grip on the Bundesliga title, Terzic’s men and the rest of the division were powerless to quell the Bayer Leverkusen juggernaut, and despite demolishing SV Darmstadt 98 4-0 in their closing contest, Dortmund could only labour to a fifth-placed finish.

However, thanks to Germany’s superior UEFA coefficient over all other nations barring Italy, BVB will dine at Europe’s top table next year regardless of the result of today’s final, which they enter also seeking four straight Champions League victories at any stage for the first time in nearly 10 years.

Dortmund’s overall trophy drought has not been as agonisingly long as their 27-year wait for Champions League title number two - they prevailed in the 2020-21 DFB-Pokal, but a Champions League winners’ medal would shine much brighter around the neck of the Signal Iduna Park’s favourite son Reus before he clears out his Dortmund locker.

As has been customary throughout his record-breaking Champions League career, though, there will be no room for

sentiment for Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti, already in a class of his own with four European Cup triumphs as a head coach and now seeking to steer further clear of the chasing pack.

Of course, 14-time winners, Real Madrid will be bidding farewell to a revered German servant of their own today, when midfield maestro, Toni Kroos will play his final competitive club match before a Euro 2024 swansong, and the 34-year-old has already experienced one taste of Champions League final stardom over Dortmund from his Bayern heyday.

Kroos and his fellow fundamental Real performers did not drop a single point in the Champions League group stage versus Portuguese outfit Braga, deposed Italian champions Napoli and Bundesliga upstarts Union Berlin, although the manner of their 2-1 aggregate triumph over last-16 foes RB Leipzig left something to be desired.

However, in quintessential Blancos fashion, Ancelotti’s men astonishingly found a way to prevail against defending champions Manchester City - exacting revenge on their 2022-23 semi-final conquerors from 12 yards

After shaking hands on a 2-2 first-leg stalemate, a rocket from Alphonso Davies, appeared to have extinguished Real’s dreams of crown number 15, only for Espanyol loanee Joselu to write his name into Bernabeu folklore with a dazzling double to punch their ticket to Wembley.

Thanks to the astounding individual efforts of the erstwhile Magpie, Real Madrid’s iconic logo will appear on the front cover of the Champions League final programme for the 18th time today, and only three of Los Blancos’ previous 17 appearances in the trophy match have ended in heartbreak.

In fact, it has been a staggering 43 years since the Spanish behemoths came out second best in the showpiece, and since that crushing loss versus Liverpool in 1981, Real Madrid have triumphed in each of the last eight Champions League finals in which they have been present.

Extending that phenomenal sequence would seal a terrific treble of trophies for the reigning La Liga and Supercopa de Espana champions, who may have

PAST WINNERS

Man Utd

Dortmund

Juventus

Ajax 1993-94 Milan 1992-93 Marseille 1991-92 Barcelona 1990-91 Red Star 1989-90 Milan 1988-89 Milan 1987-88 PSV 1986-87 Porto 1985-86 Steaua Bucureti 1984-85 Juventus 1983-84 Liverpool 1982-83 Hamburg 1981-82 Aston Villa 1980-81 Liverpool 1979-80 Nott’m Forest 1978-79 Nott’m Forest 1977-78 Liverpool 1976-77 Liverpool 1975-76 Bayern 1974-75 Bayern 1973-74 Bayern 1973-74 Replay Bayern 1972-73 Ajax 1971-72 Ajax 1970-71 Ajax 1969-70 Feyenoord 1968-69 Milan 1967-68 Man Utd 1966-67 Celtic 1965-66 Madrid 1964-65 Internationale 1963-64 Internationale 1962-63 Milan 1961-62 Benfica 1960-61 Benfica 1959-60 Madrid 1958-59 Madrid 1957-58 Madrid 1956-57 Madrid 1955-56 Madrid concluded the regular top-flight campaign by dropping four points against Villarreal and Real Betis, but little sleep should be lost over those two stalemates. Unbeaten in 25 straight matches since January’s Copa del Rey beating at the hands of Atletico, Ancelotti’s men have also found the net in every single one of their fixtures away from their Bernabeu base in the 2023-24 season, another promising omen ahead of today’s European extravaganza.

Borussial Dortmund, Real Madrid going for the broke today

GLOBAL SOCCER

African Knockout Championship 4 Debuts in Abuja

The highly anticipated African Knockout Championship (AKO4) is set to make history with its first live event in Nigeria’s capital. AKO4 will take place on June 8 at the prestigious Abuja Continental Hotel. The event will showcase thrilling bouts across various divisions, including featherweight, middleweight, lightweight, and women’s bantamweight as the AKO Championship playoffs approach.

Headlining the event is a showdown between knockout athlete, Daniel Emeka and division standout Flex Munwe in the main event. Both fighters are already qualified for the playoffs and will compete for top rankings in the Middleweight division. The

co-main event features Richard Muzaan facing off against Tayo Athanassius from Cameroon, as they strive to keep their Championship dreams alive. Expect high-octane action and intense competition. Exciting matchups abound with Mulumba taking on Lamptey in the Featherweight division, Cherif Drame meeting Marcel Kouadio in the Middleweight division, and Emmanuel Benard facing Andre Mukiisi in the Featherweight division. Other matchups include Melvin Ugochukwu vs. Israel Mano, Jackiel Ayana vs. Gasmire Diatta, and Jane Osigwe vs. Jibidar Cythia, among others. Commenting on the upcoming event, UFC legend and AKO co-owner Kamaru “The

Nigerian Nightmare” Usman expressed his excitement, saying, “I am thrilled to see the growth of AKO and the talent that will be on display at AKO4. This event marks a significant milestone for African MMA and I am confident that the fighters will deliver an unforgettable show for the fans.”

COO of AKO, Rayan Fayad, added, “AKO has been a platform for showcasing the incredible talents in African MMA and we are proud to present AKO4 in Abuja. This event will further solidify AKO’s position as a leading MMA promotion on the continent, providing young talents with an unparalleled opportunity to shine on a global stage.”

Nigeria to Debut at 18th African Sambo Championships in Egypt Today

Following the impressive outing at the 13th African Games in Ghana, Nigeria has been listed among the teams that will compete at the 18th African Sambo Championships taking place in Cairo, Egypt, from June 1 to 3.

The three-man contingent is made up of the three medalists at the 13th African Games, led by gold medalist Charity Jatau as well as silver medalist Fatima Ogbonyomi, who will compete in the women’s category, while the only male competitor is African Games bronze medalist James Chegwam. The team will on Wednesday, May 29, depart

Nigeria aboard Egypt Air to Cairo for the three-day continental showpiece.

The three-day tournament will take place at Cairo International Stadium; sport sambo, combat sambo, and beach sambo are events that teams will jostle for at the continental tournament.

According to the Vice President of the Sambo Association of Nigeria (SAN), Sheriff Hammed, the performances of the athletes stunned the continental body, which decided to include the team in the list of participating countries heading to Egypt.

“We are excited that sambo is gaining ground in Nigeria, and

the performance of the athletes in Ghana has shown that with more support, Nigeria can rival the best sambo nations in Africa. We have decided to honour the invitation of the continental body to attend for the first time in Egypt, and we hope and believe our athletes will again show their qualities against the rest of Africa, just like they did in Ghana. I must admit that our performance in Ghana has given us hope that the sport has come to stay, and we are working tirelessly to ensure that the sport is popular across the country. We are also hopeful of a good outing in Egypt,” Hammed said.

Golfers Storm Abeokuta for Gov. Abiodun @ 64 Golf Kitty

Golfers across the country are teeing-off today at the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun @ 64 Special Golf Kitty slated for Abeokuta Golf Club, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The one-day golf kitty being packaged by the management of the club in collaboration with the state government appointees is supported by

Wema Bank as part of its corporate social responsibility. Moreover, a total of 80 golfers from Sagamu Golf Club; Ikeja Golf Club and Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos State; Ibadan Golf Club, and Tiger Golf Club from Oyo State; Ilorin Golf Club, Kwara State and many others are to tee-off at the event.

Meanwhile, the governor is expected to perform the ceremonial tee-off in the morning, while men’s and ladies golfers enter the course after to exhibit their golfing skills.

The presentation of trophies and various prizes will be awarded to those who excelled at the golf kitty later in the day.

Organisers Thrilled as Reis Table Tennis Tournament Climaxes

The 2024 edition of the annual Reis Table Tennis tournament last weekend came to a climax last weekend inside the Oba of Lagos Sports Hall, Eko Club, Surulere, Lagos, with six games concluded on the final day and the organisers have express their delight at the way the tourney’s third edition went.

In his reaction, a top director of the championship, Antonio Oluwagbemiga Reis assured of a better outing at the next edition.

“I have been supporting my dad running this tournament for the past three years and we have been having amazing time. I’m very happy and I enjoy watching the game so much. The participants have been playing for five days to get to this final stage. The championship is to help

these players have a platform to grow their career and we gave them the resources to do that and as you can all see, they were all happy.

“We want to grow this tournament to be one of the biggest in Africa. We are setting a very big goal and we want to have as many kids as possible participating. I believe their are many kids in Nigeria hoping for a platform like this.

“We started with few players in the first edition and I am grateful for where we are now with hundreds of participants.

“The defending champion of this tournament, Orok Etim, is now based in the United Kingdom is a testimony that we are getting closer to our goal which I believe we will achieve

Rangers Eight League Title Hunt Gets Sporting Lagos Test

Nigeria Premier Football League table-topping side and seven-time Nigeria league champions, Rangers International F.C will this weekend be looking at displaying its potential of being crowned champions for the 8th time as they hit Lagos for a date with Sporting Lagos F.C in a match day 34 fixture of the 2023/2024 NPFL season.

The Mobolaji Johnson Arena (Onikan Stadium, Lagos) would be the venue for the encounter that will see the coach Abdullahi Biffo-led side fight the fight of their lives to contain a side in the form of Rangers International F.C tomorrow, with kickoff fixed for 4:00 pm. It will be live on the league’s broadcast right holder, StarTimes, on Beta Sports, channel 244.

Though the coach Fidelis Ilechukwu tutored side is wary of the fact that their host, under a new gaffer, Biffo, will be a difficult team to contend with, his team is motivated to come up with a positive result to ensure

that the chasing pack is given more hurdles to overcome.

With 19 points separating both sides and 12 teams sitting between both teams on the 20-team log, Ilechukwu, whose wards went on a scoring spree in their last league encounter against Bayelsa United where they scored three goals to maintain their top spot as the best-attacking team, would be counting on the likes of Okorie Chiedozie, Kazeem Ogunleye, Isaac Saviour, and Ejike Ugochukwu to get the needed result against the Lagos side that would be counting on Christian Nwoke to keep out the forays of the ‘Flying Antelopes”. Ilechukwu, who cut his coaching teeth in Lagos with many grassroots teams as well as M.F.M F.C that he led from the lower league to the top league and won a spot to represent the country at the continental scene, is positive going into this fixture, stressing, “We expect a good game from Sporting Lagos

but we are very positive of the outcome. We are not by any means underating our opponent as no team is a push-over. We respect Sporting especially under their new coach, Biffo, whom I respect very much but, we shall approach the match as a cup final believing that our efforts on the pitch will give us the positive result we expect at the end of the encounter.”

In the reverse fixture at the Awka City Stadium, it ended 2-0 in favour of the ‘Flying Antelopes’.

Rangers’ leading goal scorer, Godwin Obaje, who grabbed a brace in his last match is full of optimism going into this fixture as he said, “I thank God for all He has been doing for our team this season and I believe that we have all it takes to get a good result against Sporting Lagos. It will be a tough encounter as no team is small in the league, but the unity in the team will see us through in this fixture.”

Super Eagles NPFL Invitees to Miss Crucial Title Chase

The NPFL title race heats up this weekend, with a compelling twist as newly-minted Super Eagles players face must-win matches this weekend, live on Beta Sports channel 244 on StarTimes.

Unfortunately for their teams, Sodiq Ismail of Remo Stars and Kenneth Igboke of Rangers International will be absent as the Super Eagles camp opens June 1 in preparation for World Cup qualifiers.

in few years to come,” the young Reis said.

Asked what the organisers are putting in place to give the competition a national outlook, he said, “We want it to be a national thing not just a Lagos tournament. This year, we were able to attract 11 states and I’m sure it would more next year.”

Can Sporting Lagos derail the Rangers’ title charge and secure their own survival in a classic David vs. Goliath clash?

The stakes couldn’t be higher. However, Rangers’ star striker, Kenneth Igboke, will be absent due to the Super Eagles World Cup Qualifiers’ game.

Sporting Lagos, after their promotion last season, are fighting tooth and nail to avoid an immediate return to the lower division. They currently sit in the fourteenth position.

Meanwhile, Remo Stars, sitting just four points behind Rangers,

As the NPFL season reaches its climax, all eyes will be on league leaders, Rangers International as they travel to Lagos to battle relegation-threatened Sporting Lagos. The match will be played on Sunday at 4pm at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena formerly Onikan Stadium.

host a resilient Kano Pillars. Remo Stars’ Sodiq Ismail, their defender called up to the Super Eagles, will be absent, adding an extra layer of intrigue to this crucial encounter. Can Remo Stars maintain their title aspirations while their star defender answers national duties? The match will air live at 4pm on today. So far, Ismail has provided 13 assists for Remo Stars this season, further underlining his creative prowess from the right flank.

In other action to air live on StarTimes Beta Sports channel 244, Bendel Insurance welcome Katsina United to Benin City at 5:45 pm today.

Soccer Fans Hail StarTimes for Bringing NPFL Matches Live to Homes

With the Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, now at the business end, soccer loving Nigerians have showered encomium on pay tv, StarTimes for bringing the NPFL matches live to their homes.

Speaking with THISDAY, a trader at the popular Tejuosho market, Yaba, Samuel Chuka, said that life could be very boring after the end of the European football season. He however finds consolation in the NPFL matches

live on StarTimes.

“After giving us live matches during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, StarTimes is also bringing to our different home live matches of the NPFL, it’s really helping in promoting Nigerian football,” said. StarTimes would be showing the two star matches of this weekend’s week 34 NPFL fixtures-Enugu Rangers’ visit to Sporting Lagos and Remo Stars versus

Kano Pillars. The NPFL has reiterated that the N6bn broadcast rights deal it signed with StarTimes was not just the only of-

fer it received at the time but the best negotiated partnership that came after over six years of the league not shown on television.

Players and officials of Enugu Rangers mount a guard of honour for Kenneth Igboke following his invitation to the Super Eagles for the 2026 World Cup qualifier against South Africa and Benin Republic

Some Nigerian Sambo athletes pose for photograph at the All African Games in Ghana

Antonio Reis

NIGERIA PREMIER FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Nigerian Designers, Andrea, Veekee on Glo-sponsored African Voices

Two Nigerian fashion icons, Dumebi Andrea Iyamah, (brand name Andrea Iyamah) and Ruth Erikan James (brand name Veeke James) are guests on this week’s edition of the Globacom-sponsored African Voices Changemakers on global TV channel, CNN. Andrea Iyamah is a Nigerian-Canadian fashion designer born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria. She is the founder and CEO of her fashion label, Andrea Iyamah, which caters

The agency, last week, announced the successful bursting of an elaborate cocaine trafficking cartel. The two successful operations were in Lagos and Ogun States. Multi-billion-naira worth of illicit drugs were seized and a couple, Bolanle and Olayinka Dauda, were apprehended by operatives of a special operation unit of the NDLEA. They were arrested while attempting to cross the land border to deliver the consignment in Ghana. Some 42 blocks of the Class A drug weighing 47.5 kilograms was found on them and a swift follow-up operation at their residence led to the recovery of another eight blocks of the same drug, this time weighing 10kg

The major points to note here are that: (1) NDLEA operations are intelligence-led, (2) Collaboration with international network or capacities is always part of the cocktail of measures leading to a successful raid, and (3) The recent success stories came through joint operations involving NDLEA officials and the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States.

Also, another stint of the Special Operations Unit, which led to the recovery of about 1,100 ampoules of the lethal synthetic opioid, fentanyl, was intelligence-led. The 6.48kg of the opioid was recovered from a member of a drug trafficking syndicate at Idumota Market in Lagos. The story is the same for about 790 ampoules of the dangerous opioid weighing 5.273kg seized from another member of the fentanyl syndicate at the same Idumota in Lagos.

As was said on this page on March 9, under the title, “Buba Marwa’s NDLEA, “All the arrests and seizures of illegal drug consignments and sundry successes of Marwa’s NDLEA have been very heavy on preemptive intelligence work. There is also overwhelming evidence of thorough going demographic analysis. Within this you

to bridal, swimwear and ready-to-wear lines. She has catered for celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Kate Hudson, Gabrielle Union, Ciara, Issa Rae and Genevieve Nnaji.

Iyamah, born on March 18, 1993, cut out her professional course early at 17 when she launched her fashion brand, Andrea Iyamah, which is headquartered in Toronto, with a flagship store in Lagos launched in 2017. Andrea Iyamah’s bold swimwear blends African heritage with contemporary design,

find, also, the conscious mapping of drug production, transportation, distribution and consumption patterns. Marwa’s NDLEA is one of the few examples of an organization that is paying deliberate scientific attention to the physical and human geography of drug-related issues today”.

The current exploits also confirm what was said here on the article under reference, namely: “There seems to be, in all of this, a structured collaboration with the international anti-drug network, with focus on predictive, and predictable drug-related activities”.

During the sensitization and advocacy programme for women and youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja, a collaborative engagement with Dr Aminu Gusau organized under the platform of WADA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd) said that drug abuse among Nigerians was one of the main drivers of insecurity in the country. He was concerned that the phenomenon had taken a life of its own all over the nation; and was no longer an urban phenomen.

It is a matter or record, born out by our collective experience, that many rural communities play host to a disturbingly large drug consuming population. Marwa has had cause to draw public attention to the fact that the problem of drug abuse among the youths has now become everyone’s problem, which calls for synergy and joint endeavours at all levels. Federal and State Governments, traditional and religious leaders, parents, schools, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Community Based Organizations (CBOs), among others, must work together as a single societal force working for the good of all.

As was said here, “One of the essential takeaways from Marwa at the aforementioned event is his observation that the youths

THE OBJ OF ILLIBERALISM

majority of African states, it is that the latter have been democracies only in name, and that many of them (Nigeria and South Africa jump to mind) in fact stand out on account of being characterized by the very sensibilities that are the exact antithesis of Western liberal democracy. It would thus appear that, for reasons that are not entirely clear, Obasanjo has failed to distinguish between the appearance of democracy and its substance. The second question is whether Obasanjo is right in his assessment and understanding of African history as an essentially frictionfree paradise of political unanimity. As even the most casual acquaintance will disclose, not only is the African past as depicted by Obasanjo a pure fantasy, there is considerable evidence that it was, in many cases, stolidly hierarchical and in egalitarian. Contra the unsubstantiated mythology that Obasanjo has become strangely enamored of, modern African history is in fact mostly an account of ordinary Africans struggling against tremendous odds to relieve themselves of the burden of custom and tradition; in other words, to cast off the fetters of the

very history that Obasanjo would have them return to. It is hardly a coincidence that (1) contemporary African leaders who share Obasanjo’s tendentious understanding of African history are unrepentant dictators and (2) that Obasanjo has failed to show specific examples of eras and or regimes that he would have ordinary Africans revert to.

If Obasanjo is a poor student of African history, his grasp of contemporary African politics seems even more dubious. For instance, his avid recommendation of the virtues of a single-party system does not take into account the ugly record of actual one-party states in Africa, whether de jure one-party states like Tanzania under the late Julius Nyerere, or the invariable mean into which many post-independence African states (among other examples, Cameroon, Rwanda, Equatorial Guinea, and Uganda jump to mind) have tended to regress. Even when they have managed to attain a modicum of political stability and economic prosperity as is undeniably the case with Rwanda under Paul Kagame, the ossification of civil society that is

which is celebrated for its vibrant colors and intricate patterns.

On her part, Veekee James started learning how to make clothes when she was still a child from her mother, Esther James, who was also into fashion designing.

She was actually inspired by her mother to start her own fashion brand “Veekee James” in 2019. With time, she founded “Veekee James Man”, a fashion brand for men’s wear, and “Shoprikan” for women. Veekee

constitute the engine room of every society, which must be in the right shape mentally and physically to drive a better future. But that will not happen if they are damaged by psychotropic drugs. This is a universal problem of humanity, irrespective of tradition, culture, and religion”.

He also said, further, on that occasion; “The youths exhibit attitudes both for the development of society and, at the same time, for the creation of problems in society. Drug abuse leads to criminal offences, and this fuels insecurity, such as armed robbery, murder, kidnapping, and banditry, among others. This also leads to burglary and sex work. Evidence shows that young people use drugs for various reasons, which include relaxation, experimental/curiosity, and enhancing performance, among others”.

His charge of “Go all out for drug barons and cartels”, to NDLEA commanders, when he set targets for Commanding Officers in his 2024 Tasking Orders, which was also his charge to Zonal Commanders, State Commanders and Area Commanders of the Agency, continues to yield visible results. The dismantling of the cartels, distribution networks and other facilitating platforms of the drug universe by NDLEA can best be described as a deliberate, well-designed, structured and intelligence-driven, root and branch onslaught against the burgeoning drug tree.

Today, there is visible evidence of a decline in the availability of illicit drugs. This is largely because of the NDLEA’s progressive asphyxiation of illegal drug supply channels and facilitators. We see the Agency constantly engaging stakeholders within and outside the country. We see the agency taking administrative and other steps that will progressively enhance its operational efficiency and effectiveness. We see, also, that the job of the Agency

James revolutionizes bespoke couture with her exquisite gowns known for their impeccable craftsmanship and red-carpet appeal.

CNN’s Larry Madowo puts the two Nigerian designers redefining global fashion on the spot on the weekly feature programme. The show will be on air this Saturday at 8.30a.m. on DSTV Channel 401, while a repeat will be shown on Saturday at noon. On Sunday, there will be two repeats at 4.30a.m., and at 7.00p.m.

is a thankless one, and that it cannot rest on its oars.

The NDLEA’s existing collaborations and linkages should be strengthened and deepened. All relevant state and non-state actors must team up as Strategic Partners to drive both the effort and the narrative. Once we burst cartels, cripple distribution channels and undermine drug availability, much would have been gained in the war against illicit drugs. This will naturally impact drug abuse, drug addiction and opportunistic youth criminality.

In the aforementioned article referenced above, Marwa was quoted as saying thus to his Commanders: “This year, we want to raise the bar of our performance and this calls for commanders who are up to the task to be up and doing on the job”, it means that the NDLEA should be helped to “… clean our streets and communities of illicit substances… recently, there is another demand by kidnappers and bandits aside money, which is drugs. In that sense, it means NDLEA is working because they don’t ask for it before, meaning that they’re no longer as available as they used to be and the prices of those available have gone beyond their reach.”

As was said at the beginning of this article, the roots of the illicit drug and narcotic trade is like a tree. “The roots are buried in the perverted demands, and needs, of an ever-growing population of the young and old of both sexes. For us here in Nigeria, the percentage of rural youths and women who are now totally beholden to aphrodisiacs and opioid derivatives benumbs the imagination. Worse still, it is all now so cheap, so readily available and so easily addictive that the problem is no longer a matter of seizing drug consignments, arresting drug peddlers or burning down Indian hemp farms”.

a concomitant of the personalization of political power under one-party systems raises important questions as to their long-term costs to the country as a whole.

Finally, the fact seems to have escaped Obasanjo that he owes his freedom to criticize and propose political alternatives to the fact that he lives in an admittedly imperfect liberal democracy, one with a foundational commitment to individual freedoms (among them the freedom to express oneself freely); and that a singleparty state and suchlike authoritarian cousins invariably culminate in the abrogation of such freedoms.

Granted, Obasanjo may be earnest in his espousal of alternatives to liberal democracy, but ultimately, his advocacy amounts to nothing more than an avoidance of the real causes of Africa’s underdevelopment and a far from subtle incitement to autocracy. The Nigerian statesman may be excused for exploring alternatives, but he should not escape censure for resurrecting ideas that have been tried and found wanting, and now belong, for good reason, in the museum of political ideas.

•Reina Patel contributed to the research for this article

Obasanjo

Fubara on Wike’s 10,000 jobs

“You will agree with me that when we subjected those names to proper scrutiny, most of those names, in fact, 60 per cent of those names were over-aged. They were names that people brought for political patronage. How will you employ somebody who is 52 years old as a civil servant?’” –Gov Fubara during an interactive session with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, on Friday

NDLEA’s Continued “Root and Branch”Onslaught

Picture the international and national illicit drug and narcotic trade as a tree. The roots are buried in the perverted demands, and needs, of an ever-growing population of the young, old, rich and poor of both sexes. Here in Nigeria, the percentage of rural youths and women who are now totally beholden to aphrodisiacs and opioid derivatives benumbs the imagination. Worse still, some variants of psychotropic drugs are now so cheap, so readily available and so easily addictive. Thus, the problem which the Nigerian Drug law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has to deal with goes way beyond the matter of seizing drug consignments, arresting drug peddlers or burning down Indian hemp farms.

The trunk, or stem of the drug tree, which carries water and nutrients to the branches and the leaves, is the international and national drug superhighway. It is this highway that facilitates and projects the drug trade universe. Like a typical tree trunk, it grows ever bigger, as it develops Cambium Cells, just like the process commonly known

as Secondary Thickening in the biological sciences. With secondary Thickening, a trunk gets sturdier, and becomes less susceptible to the blast of strong winds and the paltry endeavours of scraggly machete-wielding

persons who try to cut it down.

The drug business is a wide universe, with strong and deep enablement from the deep Dark Web. The Dark Web, for those who may not know, is the Alternate Reality that has more cash, more capacity for devilry and even more capacity for perverting and subverting the 10% reality we, law abiding do-gooders, mistake for the actual reality of human life on earth today. Everything, including human body parts and high-end security information of the most secretive of nations, is available on the Deep Dark Web, once you can pay. It is a world better not visited, because a permanent tab is kept on you once you make any form of contact with it.

It is easy to see that the branches of our drug tree are the international, regional and national cartels. The twigs, or branchlets of the tree are the village dealers, city lounges, side street hawkers and neighbourhood facilitators that service various strata of the clientele. The leaves of the tree are the consumers, while the flowers and fruits are distribution, consumption, addiction and disorientation.

EBENEZEROBADARE

IAs fruits and flowers of the drug tree, the mentally deranged of all ages are all over the place. They spare no efforts, including selling off precious personal or stolen property at giveaway prices, to satisfy their craving. The growing population of disoriented youths who adopt desperate measures, including determined criminality, to keep their drug supplies going, are now a major social problem that should not be there in the first place.

It is against the background of the foregoing that we are to look at the latest exploits of the Nigerian Drug law enforcement Agency (NDLEA). This is not about an officer of the Agency, Francis Ameh Igonoh, who got a special motion yesterday and who emerged the 2024 winner of the prestigious International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) with an outstanding success Award, no. It is about the latest report of NDLEA’s deconstruction and asphyxiation of a massive drug cartel, including substantial sections of its tributaries and clientele.

Continued on page 31

The OBJ of Illiberalism

n recent times, Nigerian statesman Olusegun Obasanjo has spoken repeatedly of his conviction that Nigeria and other African countries “made a mistake” by adopting “Western liberal democracy,” a system that, being a unique product of “Western history, culture, and way of life” is poorly suited for African conditions.

In the same breath, Obasanjo has canvassed for “a model of democracy that is true to the African heritage,” a model that, in his telling, “encompasses our culture, our traditional ways of life.”

Obasanjo’s pedigree is one reason his assaults on liberal democracy have continued to attract attention. One of two individuals (Muhammadu Buhari is the other) to have ruled Nigeria in both military and civilian capacities, Obasanjo, far from just another citizen, can lay claim to having been in the thick of things and hence endowed with the kind of knowledge and perspective not vouchsafed to the average individual. Another reason is the political moment. The Nigerian statesman’s repeated attacks are music to the ears of many at a period

when skepticism about liberal democracy and associated Western values is on the ascendance, especially across the Western world.

Due to the latter coincidence, it is tempting to conclude that Obasanjo and critics of liberal democracy across the West are united by the same grievances, and to some extent they are, especially as far as there is mutual concern about the failure of liberal democracy to deliver tangible material benefits to the most disadvantaged. To be fair to Obasanjo, even in his least lucid moments, one observes what appears to be a genuine and constant solicitude for “the welfare and the well-being of the people: all the people.”

But this is where the comparison stops. While much of the concern for the fate of liberal democracy across the Western world is animated by a desire to deepen it and make it work for all sectors of society, or at least all of those who are willing to submit to the rules of liberalism, Obasanjo seems motivated by a contrary desire: to abolish liberal democracy in toto and replace it with a “homegrown” system ostensibly hewn

out of Africa’s specific culture and history.

The distinction is not trivial: unlike most Western critics of liberal democracy, Obasanjo does not want an improved version of liberal democracy; to paraphrase the inimitable Groucho Marx, whatever liberal democracy is, he is against it.

To be sure, Obasanjo is not a recent convert to this tradition-bound “Afro-democracy.”

On the contrary, he has written consistently, if vaguely, about allowing “the wisdom of a linkage with our traditional political praxis to chart a progressive future for us;” his desire for a single-party system whereby “the party shall be the only legal party until such a time that national integration and cohesion would have been sufficiently achieved;” “the urgent need to create a political machine, a self-made (sic) indigenous institution that would destroy the ‘alien institution’ conception of government;” and last but not least, his opposition to “the systemic practice of the institutionalized opposition,” an idea that, as he sees it, is incongruent with an African political past when “in arriving at political decisions our fore-fathers disagreed to agree and agree

to disagree.”

To the extent that he has been consistent in his avowals of them, the foregoing must be accepted as the basic elements of Obasanjo’s weltanschauung, which means that, in order to do justice to it, one must apply pressure to its cornerstone assumptions, the better to see whether they pass the smell test and are worthy of the attention—and in some intellectual circles, uncritical approval—that is being accorded them.

The first question to ask is whether Obasanjo is in fact correct in claiming that African countries have adopted Western liberal democracy. While there is no doubt that liberal democracy is, with few notable exceptions, the coin of the political realm across Africa, upon closer inspection, one discovers that the real problem facing Africa is not that it has imported Western democracy, but that, as a matter of fact, it has not. If there is one overarching sentiment from the typically rancorous relationship between political and civil societies in a

Continued on page 31

NDLEA Chairman, Buba Marwa